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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) is working to establish a National Accessible Book Portal to improve access to books and other published works for blind, visually impaired and print-disabled Nigerians.
Director-General of NCC, Dr. John Asein, announced this in a statement to mark White Cane Day 2026, observed on October 15, with the theme: Promoting Independence, Inclusion and Equal Access for Persons Who Are Blind.
He stated that the portal would provide a trusted national platform for identifying and obtaining books in accessible formats, translating legal provisions into practical access.
He added that it would support authorised entities, reduce duplication and encourage collaboration among authors, publishers, libraries, educational institutions and disability organisations.
The platform, according to him, would build trust in the copyright system by ensuring accessible copies are produced and used transparently and lawfully, while giving eligible beneficiaries a clear process for obtaining them.
Asein said Section 26 of the Copyright Act, 2022, provides the legal framework and gives effect to the Marrakesh Treaty.
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He explained that it permits authorised entities to produce and supply accessible-format copies to eligible beneficiaries, subject to safeguards, and allows lawful cross-border exchange of such works.
“The task before us is therefore to move decisively from legal provisions to practical access,” he said.
He urged authors and publishers to embrace ‘born accessible’ publishing by designing books and digital publications from the outset to work with screen readers and other assistive technologies.
Accessibility, he said, should become standard practice rather than an afterthought or a responsibility left solely to statutory exceptions.
Describing the white cane as a symbol of dignity, independence and participation, Asein said inability to read conventional print should not prevent access to education, research, professional advancement or cultural life.
He said the initiative builds on the NCC’s ‘Let the Blind Read’ campaign and its engagement with stakeholders, including technology providers and development partners.
