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Enforce copyright protection and assure law enforcement
The first step to combat piracy is to ensure
that all films and songs are copyrighted.
That in turn requires that all music and
movie-makers register their own businesses
and products. Only if intellectual property is
registered can it be protected. At the
moment very few Nigerians register their
IPR. Registering IPR for films and music in
Nigeria is also a first step to protecting IPR
in overseas markets. The most important
export markets in the US and EU both
require that the IPR is registered in the home
country first.
This paper recommends a three steps approach to help the Nigeria establish a successful
anti-piracy campaign through public sector capacity building, public awareness building
and law enforcement.
1.
Enhance public sector capacity
. It is critical to enhance the capacity of the most
important anti-piracy public sector bodies (NCC, NCS, NIPC, SON) operating in
Nigeria. For instance it is imperative to provide capacity building support to NCC
staff, which has to be appropriately trained since NPC is key actor for the
coordination between the various ministries dealing with IPR issues.
2.
Build Public Awareness regarding IPR
. One of the causes of endemic levels of IP
piracy is the ignorance of the general public on IP rights. It is vital that the Ministry
of Information provides the public with the right perspective through its powerful
media presence. The Ministry of Commerce similarly has the overall regulatory
authority and responsibility for these industries. The IP rights offenders violate
numerous statutes established by the Ministry for instance the trademark
infringement. As it is today, all sections of the IP industries suffer from a lack of
supporting infrastructure ranging from poor distribution networks, to general
ignorance of government laws and support programs. It is particularly serious in the
IP sector (contrasted to other parts of the economy) because the country has only
recently begun to understand the latent potential in this sector, and is yet to establish
specific provisions to duly recognize and handle various pertinent issues.
3.
Law enforcement
. The manufacturers and distributors of pirated products are tax
evaders. Not only do they not pay tax but their illegitimate sales of counterfeit
products prevent the legitimate owners from selling their wares and paying taxes
resulting in billions of naira in lost revenue. Thus it is imperative that the Federal
Inland Revenue Service joins the fight against piracy. Further the Economic and