We needed the copyright law amendment – NCC

We needed the copyright law amendment – NCC:  Nigeria has recently passed a new Copyright Act, replacing the 1988 Act, to address the issues faced

in the digital age. The old Act was outdated and did not account for the internet and online exploitation of copyrighted works. Although it was amended twice in 1992 and 1999, it still had an analogue character.

The new Copyright Act was created through a deliberate bottom-up legislative process that involved

consultations and stakeholder participation. The Act has four cardinal objectives, which is to protect the

rights of authors, provide limitations and exceptions to guarantee access to creative works, facilitate Nigeria’s compliance with international copyright treaties and conventions, and enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for effective regulation, administration, and enforcement of the provisions of the Act.

We needed the copyright law amendment – NCC:the act

With 109 sections and a schedule, the new Act is more elaborate than the old one with 52 sections

and five schedules. It is purpose-built for a more efficient use, administration, and enforcement of

rights in a digital environment. The Act better addresses flexibilities allowed under treaties to meet

the needs of society in a knowledge-driven world.

The new Act is an improvement on the old one, and its provisions have been hailed by many as a good

start in modernizing Nigeria’s copyright system. The provisions of the new Act increase the protection

of rights and enhance the administration, regulation, and enforcement of rights.

the CMO

The Act also provides for the establishment of a Collective Management Organization (CMO) to collect and distribute royalties to right holders. The CMO will act as an intermediary between copyright owners and users

and ensure that authors receive just rewards for their intellectual efforts.

The Act also provides for the establishment of a Copyright Tribunal to hear disputes relating to copyright infringement. The Tribunal will have the power to award damages, grant injunctions, and order the forfeiture or destruction of infringing copies.

The new Act recognizes the importance of technology and digital content and provides for the protection

of digital works. It also provides for the protection of moral rights, which are the non-economic rights of

an author, such as the right to be recognized as the author of a work and the right to object to modifications

of the work that could damage the author’s reputation.

The Technology

The nation gathered that It recognizes the importance of technology and digital content, provides for

the protection of moral rights, and enhances the administration, regulation, and enforcement of rights.

The Act has been widely praised for its provisions and is expected to promote creativity and innovation

in Nigeria’s creative industries.