NCC introduces Moses Ekpo Prize for Innovative Reporting

By Damiete Braide

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has launched a renewed engagement platform with the media and creative industry stakeholders through the reintroduction of its yearly copyright forum, now renamed the Annual Copyright Dialogue. 

The commission also announced the creation of the Moses Ekpo Prize for Innovative Copyright Reporting, instituted to recognise excellence in copyright reportage and strengthen public enlightenment on intellectual property matters.

Director-General of the commission, Dr. John Asein, announced the developments during the copyright seminar for journalists, organised in collaboration with the Arts and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria (ACWAN) in Abuja yesterday.  Asein said the annual copyright dialogue is designed to deepen policy conversations, encourage stakeholder feedback, and foster strategic engagement aimed at improving Nigeria’s copyright ecosystem.

According to him, the dialogue would serve as a platform for robust institutional reflections and consultations needed to address contemporary challenges in the fast-evolving creative sector.  Commending journalists for their long-standing partnership, the NCC boss said the media plays a decisive role in shaping national consciousness, influencing public perception, and strengthening policy outcomes. He added that effective delivery of the commission’s mandate to protect and promote creativity requires a strong and responsible media sector.   Asein noted that a decade ago, the commission battled the mass reproduction of CDs and DVDs, new threats have emerged driven by digital anonymity, cloud-based infringements, algorithmic aggregation of content, and hyperactive online piracy networks. These developments, he stressed, require innovative regulatory responses and stronger partnerships with media practitioners.

He also announced the winner of the maiden edition of the Moses Ekpo Prize for Innovative Copyright Reporting, Ms. Evelyn Osagie, Assistant Editor (Arts) at The Nation newspaper, who passed away on 17 August 2025.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Joshua Olomu, an Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the seminar had enriched the capacity of journalists to contribute more meaningfully as partners in the nation’s creative ecosystem.

The hybrid seminar featured paper presentations by a veteran journalist and Culture Caucus Advocate (CCA), Mr. Jahman Anikulapo, who spoke on “The Journalist’s Guide to Effective Reportage of the Copyright Sector.”