ENUGU – Prof. Sunny Emmanuel Udeze, Member, Interim Executive Committee, ANFAAN, And Secretary, Planning Committee of REPRONIG Southeast Advocacy and Sensitization Programme, has called for stronger protection of academic and non-fiction authors’ rights in Nigeria, warning that widespread copyright infringement and unauthorized reproduction of intellectual works undermine research, publishing, and knowledge development.
Udeze made the call while delivering the second lecture at the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) South-East Zonal Advocacy and Sensitization Programme held on Thursday, 22 October, 2026, at the Amedeo Event Centre, Enugu.
He explained that the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of Nigeria (ANFAAN) was established in 1995 following a resolution reached at a workshop in November 1994 to provide a platform for academic and non-fiction authors and address the challenges affecting their work.
According to him, the association’s founding mission included the establishment of a reproduction rights organization in Nigeria, with support from Norwegian non-fiction writers and translators and the Reproduction Rights Organization of Norway.
Udeze distinguished ANFAAN from the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), explaining that while ANA serves fiction writers, including novelists, poets, and dramatists, ANFAAN focuses on academic and non-fiction authors, such as lecturers, researchers, textbook writers, and authors of reference and professional publications.
He noted that academic authors play a crucial role in producing the textbooks, research materials, and reference works used in classrooms, libraries, and professional institutions across the country.
The professor identified the promotion of authors’ rights, the establishment of an effective system for collecting and distributing royalties, public education on copyright, the encouragement of research and publishing, and the representation of authors before government and other institutions as key objectives of ANFAAN.
He explained that authors’ rights include economic rights, which enable them to earn from the use of their works, and moral rights, which protect their names, recognition, and the integrity of their intellectual contributions.
Udeze expressed concern over unauthorized photocopying and the reproduction of entire books without the required permission or payment to the original authors, describing such practices as harmful to the publishing industry and the academic community.
He stressed that the inability of authors to receive compensation when their works are reproduced discourages intellectual productivity and undermines the incentive to conduct research and publish books.
According to him, authors are more likely to devote themselves to writing and research when they are confident that their intellectual contributions will be recognized and rewarded.
He also emphasized the need to educate both authors and users of published materials about copyright law, noting that some people infringe on intellectual property because they do not fully understand their obligations.
Udeze further called for stronger collaboration among authors, publishers, educational institutions, government agencies, and relevant organizations to improve copyright compliance and ensure that creators benefit from the use of their works.
He maintained that effective protection of intellectual property would encourage academic writing, strengthen research, and support the development of Nigeria’s knowledge economy.
The REPRONIG South-East Zonal Advocacy and Sensitization Programme brought together stakeholders to discuss copyright protection, reproduction rights, and the need to promote respect for intellectual property in Nigeria.