Publishers in the country under the aegis of Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into Act the Copyright Amended Bill which repeals the Copyright Act, Cap C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on the 17th of March 2023 assented to the Copyright Act 2022 which provides for the regulation, protection and administration of copyright.
NPA in a statement on Monday by the President/Chairman-in- Council, Uchenna Cyril Anioke while also applauding the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Director General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Dr. John Asein and the National Assembly for this piece of legislation said it will go a long way in promoting creativity and encouraging more authors for the betterment of Nigeria at large.
According to the association, President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated commitment to the growth of publishing and creativity at large, expressing hope that this gesture would have a positive impact on the country’s economy.
“Nigerian Publishers Association had been yearning for this development for long and was happy to see it come to fruition. The signing into law of the bill will give more confidence to owners of copyright materials in Nigeria and offer them favourable climate to operate just as their counterparts enjoy same privilege elsewhere in the world.
“The new copyright amendment bill would also attract more players to the industry and give more job opportunities, thus, improving Nigeria’s economy.
“We hereby appeal to all and sundry to support this initiative for the betterment of all. We equally appeal to all book pirates to desist from their nefarious acts, as it would not be business as usual for them, with this new Copyright Amendment Bill”, the statement read further.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Nasiru Baballe Ila shortly after the signing of the Bill said it will protect the rights of authors and ensure just rewards and recognition for their intellectual efforts; provide appropriate limitations and exceptions to guarantee access to creative works among others.
According to him, the new Copyright Act “expands the rights of authors, raises the sanctions for criminal infringements and more adequately addresses the challenges posed by digital and online use of copyright works”.
