Abuja: The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has inaugurated the ‘Annual Copyright Dialogue’ to serve as a beacon for policy discourse, institutional reflection, and collaborative action in the copyright space. This initiative aims to provide a platform for exchanging views between national and international copyright experts and to re-evaluate operational strategies for cultivating a copyright culture in Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. John Asein, Director-General of NCC, announced the inauguration during a seminar organized for journalists in Abuja. The event, themed ‘Beyond Reporting: The Media, Copyright and the Nigerian Creative Economy,’ marks a significant step in reinstating the dialogue, previously known as the Annual Copyright Forum, which was last held in 2000. The first forum was convened on December 7, 1990.
Highlighting the strategic role of the media, Asein recalled the words of the commission’s pioneer Director-General, Mr. Moses Ekpo, in 1993, emphasizing the crucial need for mass media in communicating messages to the public. “True to that early vision, the dialogue will now serve as a beacon for policy discourse, institutional reflection, and collaborative action in the copyright space,” Asein stated.
To underscore the importance of this renewed partnership, the NCC introduced the Ekpo’s prize for ‘Innovative Copyright Reporting,’ an annual award recognizing excellence, integrity, and innovation in copyright reporting by journalists and media institutions. The 2025 prize will be awarded posthumously to Ms. Evelyn Osagie of ‘The Nation’ newspaper, acknowledging her significant contributions to copyright education and public awareness in Nigeria.
Asein called upon webinar participants to explore emerging trends, challenge assumptions, and forge stronger alliances to enhance public education and champion creators’ rights in an increasingly complex digital environment. The webinar will also address the rights and responsibilities of journalists and media practitioners as content creators, information aggregators, copyright owners, and users.
Complementing the webinar, the NCC has completed a handbook for journalists, soon to be presented to the public. Asein urged monitors and evaluators to hold the commission accountable in its service delivery and called for feedback to enrich their programs and activities.
Today’s engagement reaffirms a shared commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s creative ecosystem and revitalizing the Annual Copyright Forum as a strategic platform for deepening collaboration with the media and stakeholders. Asein emphasized the evolving copyright operational landscape, noting the shift from mass reproduction of CDs and DVDs to tackling cloud-based infringements and algorithm-driven content aggregation.
These developments necessitate new regulatory responses and broader partnerships, reinforcing the need for a strong, credible, and professional media sector to support the NCC’s mission to promote and protect creativity.