The Copyright Act 2022 was one of the bills that received Presidential asset on March 17. It repeals the Copyright Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and enacts a new Copyright Act 2022. This is the first successful attempt to overhaul Nigeria’s copyright law since 1999. It will be recalled that in April 2022, the Senate passed the Copyright bill 2022, which was analysed by PLAC. The House of Representatives later passed it for concurrence in July 2022. The new Copyright Act overhauls the legal framework for copyright and intellectual property in Nigeria. Among other things, it protects the rights of authors to rewards and recognition, facilitates Nigeria’s compliance with global copyright treaties and enhances the capacity and effectiveness of the Nigeria Copyright Commission as the enforcer of the law. It also makes inclusive provisions to carter to persons living with disabilities (PWDs).
Experts in copyright and intellectual property have lauded the enactment of the Act, as an important step in the development of copyright in Nigeria and a stimulus for improving Nigeria’s creative industry. The new law has also been described as instrumental to the preservation of literary work in digital format.