THE Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) have agreed to work together to check copyright infractions, enhance rights protection and promote awareness of professionals within the architectural community.

This initiative aims to address issues such as: enlightenment on the Copyright Act, Technological Protection Measures (TPMs), customising Copyright Regulations for Architectural Works, remodeling Copyright Registration System to accommodate Architectural works, protection and preservation of cultural heritage and drafting of model contracts.

The agreement was reached by both organisations during a courtesy visit by the President of NIA, Arc. Mobolaji A. Adeniyi and Executive Council members of the Institute on the Director-General NCC, Dr. John O. Asein, in Abuja, 14th February 2024.

Receiving the NIA entourage, the DG-NCC commended Nigerian Architects and the NIA for their contribution to architectural development in Nigeria. He gave assurances of the Commission’s commitment to formulate and implement relevant policies that will strengthen and sanitise the various sectors of copyright.

“Working together we will look at where the gaps are and develop necessary regulations ….the law allows for regulations and we don’t have such regulations in the area of architectural works. So we could have clear customised regulations that will strengthen the protection already given or as provided under the Copyright Act” he stressed.

Speaking earlier, the President of NIA, Arc. Adeniyi disclosed that the visit was aimed at partnering with the Commission to foster mutual cooperation, advocacy and enlightenment programmes that will benefit not only both institutions but the public.

She noted with the dismay that despite the robust protection that the Copyright Act provides, the rights of Architects as provided in the Act is being infringed even by professionals who are seemingly ignorant of the provisions of the Act. “…it has been established that Architects who should be beneficiaries of the Act may themselves be inadvertently involved in infractions of the Act through the use of unlicensed software applications, supplanting and wholesale lifting and use of foreign designs” Adeniyi stated.

The DG urged the Architects to familiarise themselves with the Copyright Act so as to understand the law and tasked all to go through sections 2, 10 and 108 of the Copyright Act for details of works protected under the law.

Dr. Asein, clarifying the explicit inclusion of architectural works in the Copyright Act, noted that contrary to assumptions held in some quarters that the Act does not expressly cover architectural works, it vastly captures architecture, adding that the Act is very explicit in explaining the rights of architects.

He explained that “what the Act has done is to capture the six categories of works and architectural works fall under artistic works… where you have drawings, plans, architectural models, architectural works and others.

In a symbolic gesture, the DG-NCC conferred Copyright Ambassadorial status on the President of NIA, while also noting that the collaborations was just in time as piracy and ignorance in the architectural sector is alarming and disheartening.

The meeting was also attended by Executive Council members of NIA and some Directors and senior management staff of the Commission.