Open Mathematics, Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property in the era of the fourth industrial revolution: Challenges and Opportunities in Niger.

This paper aims at investigating the relationships between Traditional Knowledge, Intellectual Property (IP) and Innovation ecosystems in Niger. Our analysis highlighted the need of improving the availability and quality of data and information for ensuring real evidence based decision making. Moreover, empirical facts showed that Political will, a legislative framework, vital institutions/infrastructures, lP culture awarness raising, communication, citizen participation, capacity building and public private partnesrhips (to name a few) are necessary for taking advantages of the current IP system in terms of protection, valorisation and continuous improvement of tradition based inventions and innovations. Finally, our case study showed how a scholar from rural area of Niger had used empirical observations (in the early 1950) to invent a mathematical tool for adressing the unavailability of perpetual calendars issue and how (from generation to generation) this invention benefited from IP and lead to: innovations, partnerships, knowledge sharing, cultural and spiritual identity promotion.