THE Management and Staff of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), the agency responsible for all copyright matters as enshrined in the Copyright Act, commemorate its 35th anniversary themed: A Legacy of Protection: 35 Years of Copyright Administration, Promotion, and Enforcement in Nigeria on 19th August 2024.
The growth of the Commission within the last three and half decades of inception has been phenomenal with the expansion of its mandate over the years to include the administration, promotion, regulation, protection and enforcement of copyright in Nigeria.
Globally, renewed awareness about Intellectual Property (IP) and its contributions to national development in today’s knowledge driven economy is taking centre stage with economies leveraging on the potentials of copyright industries to upscale their country’s GDP. In Nigeria, the exponential growth of the creative industry has not only ignited the need for the entrenchment of a virile copyright system to support the creative ecosystem but also catalysed support and collaborations with major stakeholders for guaranteed returns on (their) investments in the sector.
The commemoration of NCC at 35 creates an opportunity not only to celebrate the Commission for the strides made over the years, but to appreciate and felicitate with all stakeholders for their commitments and collaborations which have enhanced the prominence of the copyright sector in the Nigerian IP space. The celebration also evokes the need to garner more support from stakeholders in the implementation of key objectives and contemporary policy initiatives in line with the new Copyright Act 2022.
Despite the Commission’s daunting challenges which include poor public comprehension of the subject matter of Copyright resulting to its brazen abuse, the Commission has continued to make consistent positive strides in the execution of its statutory mandate over the years.
In the light of the celebration, the Commission wishes to commend the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly for the passage of the revised Copyright Act 2022 and its signing into law in 2023 to entrench a new copyright regime in Nigeria. The new Copyright Act has been recognized by many copyright industry watchers as one of the best in the world which not only repeals the previous Copyright Act but reflects current realities. It also addresses a lot of issues bordering on infractions which hitherto were obscure or absent in the former law to facilitate proper adjudication of copyright cases with stiffer sanctions.
On the enforcement of the Copyright Act, the Commission over the years has remained proactive in the fight against piracy with the introduction of various initiatives to stem the tide of piracy despite the numerous challenges. The setting up of the Cyber-crime Monitoring Unit in the Commission’s operations in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies has facilitated the taking down of illegal sites streaming infringing contents.
The last two decades have undoubtedly marked the era of consolidation particularly in positioning the Commission to deal with fast-paced developments in the intensely technology-driven world of IP protection that increasingly challenged the statutory frameworks of the nation-state. Policy initiatives of the Commission like Strategic Action Against Piracy (STRAP) 2005-2010; Medium Term Corporate Plan and Strategies (MTCPS) 2012-2018 and Staff Neighbourhood Anti-Piracy Surveillance (SNAPS) 2019 to date have contributed immensely to the Commission’s fight against piracy.
These initiatives have resulted in over 400 enforcement operations, seizure of over 35 containers of pirated works with an estimated market value of about 12.5 billion and securing of over 65 convictions on copyright cases.
In the area of copyright awareness, the Commission has continued to engage with various stakeholders to promote respect for copyright and to engender more understanding of the subject matter of copyright. The periodic capacity building on copyright for Judges and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has gone a long way in enhancing proper adjudication of copyright infractions(cases) in various courts across the country. Similarly, relevant stakeholders like the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Society of Nigeria Artists (SNA), Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN), Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) and many others are direct beneficiaries of the copyright awareness and sensitisation programmes of the Commission.
The Commission prompted by its mandate of harnessing creativity for national development has also continued to sensitise students in tertiary and secondary schools with the setting up of Copyright Clubs to harness potential creative talents among the youth.
As the NCC celebrates its 35 years of relevance to the creative industry and national development, the Commission wishes to assure its stakeholders, national and international development partners of its renewed commitment to proactive implementation of the Copyright Act and intensified collaboration to engender a sound copyright system (regime) in Nigeria. The NCC, while counting on the support of stakeholders in the creative ecosystem towards the promotion and protection of copyright in Nigeria remains committed to proactive enforcement of rights to guarantee a just recompense for intellectual exertions and creation of conducive environment for creative enterprise to thrive.
The Commission expresses its profound appreciation to all stakeholders who have made meaningful contributions in the implementation of its statutory functions and looks forward to more robust and fruitful collaborations in the coming years.
John O. Asein
Director-General
