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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has disclosed that Nigeria has lost intellectual property worth billions of dollars over the past few years to piracy.
The Director-General of the NCC, John Asein, spoke in Abuja at the opening of a workshop for the Art and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria (ACWAN), media practitioners and partners in the copyright sector.
Highlights of the event was the posthumous presentation of the inaugural Moses Ekpo Prize for Innovative Copyright Reporting to Ms Evelyn Osagie, who, until her passing on 17 August 2025, was with The Nation Newspaper, by the commission.
According to the NCC DG, “Ms Osagie was not only a distinguished journalist; she was a rare gift to Nigeria’s creative and copyright community.
“She showed remarkable empathy that enabled her to amplify the voices of young and emerging creators who otherwise would have remained unheard.”
Asein further described the late journalist as a steadfast ally of the commission, whose coverage of copyright issues reflected clarity, balance, and an unwavering commitment to national development.
The Moses Ekpo Prize for Innovative Copyright Reporting was inaugurated as an annual award recognising journalists and media institutions that demonstrate excellence, integrity, and innovation in copyright reporting.
Asein explained that the award will celebrate media practitioners who, in their reporting, contribute significantly to copyright education, public awareness and the commission’s campaign for a more wholesome copyright system and a better creative sector in Nigeria.
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It was organised to underscore the importance of the renewed partnership with the media.
Meanwhile, the NCC DG lamented that the impact on creative talents was being discouraged by the activities of pirates.
“I don’t know how many of you who have noticed the number of publishing houses which had been on for more down 50 years have suddenly closed down because of piracy,” he said.
He noted that the copyright operational landscape is evolving more rapidly, especially in today’s digital world from a decade ago, when we had the mass reproduction of CDs and DVDs to deal with.
“Today, we are confronted with cloud-based infringements, algorithm-driven content aggregation, digital anonymity, and hyperactive online piracy networks. These developments have heightened the stakes and demand new regulatory responses and broader partnerships,” he said.
Asein noted that the workshop would be used to strengthen the creative ecosystem as a dialogue beacon for policy discourse, institutional reflection, and collaborative action in the copyright space.
“Today’s engagement is a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. It also represents the revitalisation of the Annual Copyright Forum, now re-envisioned as a strategic platform for deepening collaboration with the media and other stakeholders as indispensable partners in shaping Nigeria’s copyright agenda,” Asein stated.
In his speech, the Director-General of the National Press Council (NPC), Dr Dili Ezughah, said the council has introduced a fact-checker application to stem the menace of misinformation, fake news and disinformation and others.
