The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, is poised to enforce the provisions of the Copyright (Optical Discs Plants) Regulations (ODR) against duplicators to ensure a level playing field and curb the spate of piracy in the nation’s optical discs industry.
Director-General of NCC, Mr. John O. Asein, gave this assurance during a virtual interactive session of the Commission with Chief Executive Officers of registered optical discs plants recently.
The Director-General expressed concern over the declining fortunes of replicating plants, primarily as a result of new technologies and the prevalence of online distribution of copyright contents.
He stated: “As a means of ensuring the continued and sustainable survival of the optical discs industry, the Commission has to hold duplicators accountable to higher copyright standards, as their activities have adverse effects on legitimate businesses. The Commission notes with deep concern that majority of these duplicators are involved in illegal reproduction and this cannot be allowed to continue.”
Mr. Asein assured the CEOs that the Commission was aware of the various challenges facing the replicating plants, some of which are outside of copyright. These, according to him, include the high operating cost and rising exchange rate. He also noted that the negative impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the creative sector has taken a toll on all dependent industries, including the replicating plants.
The Director-General, therefore, assured that the Commission would consider the possibility of granting some concessions and waivers to replicators in order to cushion the effect of the pandemic. He, however, charged them to respect copyright tenets, continue to maintain industry discipline and self-regulation to check copyright piracy.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Optical Discs Replicators Association of Nigeria (ODRAN) and CEO of Transverse Optical Discs Plant, Pastor Orakpo Cyprian, commended the Commission for the opportunity to rub minds on the challenges facing the industry. He lamented the high cost of doing business, particularly the cost of sourcing raw materials and the unwholesome activities of optical disc duplicators, “which accounts for the high level of piracy”.
The ODRAN chairman gave the assurance that members of ODRAN would continue to engage in self-regulation which has so far helped to check the level of piracy among optical disc replicators.
Observing that optical disc plants were operating in an unfavourable business climate, he expressed concern that 12 out of a total of 17 approved replicating plants have been compelled to shut down. The chairman of ODRAN, however, thanked the Director-General for the Commission’s gesture which, he said, would go a long way to ameliorate their hardship in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CEO of Korath Replicating Plant, Mr. Rasaq Okulaja, remarked that bringing duplicators under regulation would assist in sanitising the operations of the optical discs industry. He also appealed to the Commission to work with relevant authorities to control the importation of infringing optical discs with preloaded infringing contents.
The Director-General assured of the Commission’s readiness to constantly engage with all industry stakeholders, “with a view to ensuring that its actions and policies are inclusive and well adapted to the needs of specific industries.”
In furtherance of the partnership, the Commission and ODRAN agreed to collaborate in the fight against piracy and in manpower training on emerging trends in the optical discs industry.
Vincent A. Oyefeso
Director, Public Affairs
For: Director-General
