ENUGU — The Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) has called on universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, publishers, authors, and other creative professionals in the South-East to embrace copyright licensing and digital rights management to protect intellectual property and ensure creators receive royalties from the use of their works.
The call was made in a welcome address delivered on behalf of the Chairman of REPRONIG’s Board of Directors, Mr. Gbadega Adedapo, by the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the National Advocacy and Sensitization Programme for Southeast Creative Professionals and Academics, Chief Uchenna Cyril Anioke, Ph.D.
Anioke represented Adedapo at the programme, held on Thursday at Amaedo Event Center, Ebeano Tunnel, Enugu State, under the theme, “Nigerian Copyright Law and the Role of REPRONIG.”
In the address, Adedapo emphasized the importance of raising awareness about copyright protection and ensuring that authors, researchers, publishers, visual artists, and other creative professionals receive appropriate financial rewards for their intellectual property.
He explained that Nigeria’s Copyright Act 2022 provides legal protection for original creative works, granting creators exclusive rights over how their works are reproduced, distributed, communicated, and adapted.
According to him, copyright protection arises automatically when an original work is created and fixed in a tangible form, meaning creators do not need to register their works to establish copyright ownership.
However, he noted that registering works with REPRONIG is important for rights holders seeking to benefit from royalties generated through authorized reproduction under the organization’s licensing arrangements.
Adedapo described REPRONIG as a Collective Management Organization licensed by the Nigerian Copyright Commission to administer reprographic and digital reproduction rights on behalf of copyright holders.
He said the organization provides a structured licensing framework that enables educational institutions to reproduce copyrighted materials within approved limits while ensuring that authors and publishers receive compensation.
Using the example of students photocopying textbooks or sharing digital copies without authorization, he observed that such practices allow knowledge to circulate without providing corresponding financial benefits to the authors and publishers responsible for producing the materials.
He explained that REPRONIG seeks to address the challenge through institutional licensing, which allows educational institutions to reproduce copyrighted materials legally while supporting royalty payments to rights holders.
The address outlined a licensing arrangement of ₦1,000 per student per academic year, with the proceeds distributed as royalties to registered authors and publishers.
Adedapo also highlighted the importance of REPRONIG’s Digital Rights Management System (DRMS), describing it as the operational platform for administering reproduction rights.
According to him, the system enables rights holders to register their works, allows institutions to manage their licenses, tracks the use of copyrighted materials, and facilitates the calculation and distribution of royalties.
He said the platform is designed to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in copyright administration, ensuring that creators benefit when their works are reproduced under institutional licenses.
The REPRONIG chairman urged authors, researchers, and academic writers to register their books, journal articles, monographs, and research papers on the DRMS to facilitate the tracking of their works and the payment of royalties.
He also encouraged visual artists and literary creators to register their paintings, illustrations, photographs, poems, plays, and stories to ensure their works are properly documented when reproduced.
Addressing university and institutional leaders, Adedapo stressed that reproducing copyrighted materials without authorization raises legal concerns under the Copyright Act 2022.
He called on educational institutions across the South-East to obtain and manage their REPRONIG licenses through the digital platform to promote compliance with copyright law.
He further urged lecturers and academic staff to champion copyright awareness within their departments, noting that academics are both users and producers of copyrighted materials.
Publishers were also encouraged to register their catalogues on the DRMS to ensure that titles reproduced under institutional licensing arrangements are tracked and that the resulting royalties are accurately distributed.
Adedapo noted that the South-East possesses considerable scholarly, literary, and artistic talent, adding that stronger copyright awareness and effective implementation of existing legal protections would help creators derive economic benefits from their work.
He encouraged participants to use the programme to deepen their understanding of the Copyright Act 2022, explore the DRMS, and take practical steps toward registration and licensing compliance.
The programme featured Dr. Sam Owokoniran, REPRONIG’s consultant on institutional licensing, who was scheduled to discuss the provisions of the Copyright Act 2022, the society’s licensing framework, and the practical application of the DRMS.
Mr. Macfoy Akachukwu, Commandant of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, was also listed to deliver a presentation on the fundamentals of copyright.
The advocacy programme brought together stakeholders from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, publishing, research, librarianship, visual arts, and other creative fields across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.
The initiative seeks to strengthen copyright awareness, encourage compliance, and ensure that legal protections for intellectual property translate into tangible economic benefits for Nigeria’s authors, scholars, artists, and publishers.