Dr. John O. Asein, the Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has restated the Commission’s commitment to supporting all sectors of the creative industry to reward creatives and boost the nation’s economy.
The DG NCC stated this while receiving 2024 finalists of the National IP Creative Essay Competition, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Nigeria Office who paid a study visit to the Commission recently.
Pointing to the issue of contracts as one area that is being looked into, he emphasized that contracts should be fair and transparent with terms that are not unreasonable, enslaving or unduly onerous.
While acknowledging the long and tortuous process of statutory reform, Dr. Asein assured right owners and other stakeholders in the creative industry that the commission has commenced the process of reviewing the recently passed Copyright Act with a view to identifying areas of improvement.
In the meantime, he announced that the Commission will be putting in place administrative mechanisms to help right owners, through the provision of model contractual clauses, better negotiate and conclude contractual terms.
The Director-General also informed the visitors that the Commission has Alternative Dispute Resolution facilities to help right owners settle copyright disputes.
Congratulating the essay finalists, Dr. Asein used the opportunity to announce their induction as Copyright Ambassadors and urged them to be good representatives of the Commission and the copyright industry.
Dr. Tobi Moody, Director, WIPO Nigeria Office and leader of the delegation, informed the Commission that a total of 256 students from 68 tertiary institutions in 27 States entered for the competition, with a winner and 19 finalists emerging.
Dr. Moody disclosed that the Competition is in line with WIPO’s policy of encouraging students to research and be actively involved in Intellectual Property (IP) matters. He assured that WIPO will support the finalists with capacity building prizes and opportunities to further strengthen their engagement in the field of IP.
The theme for the 2024 essay competition is “IP and Sustainable Agriculture: Combating Food Insecurity in Nigeria”.
Mr. Ikenna Mba, a year-four law student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka emerged the overall winner of the competition while Mr. Chinonso Izundu, a year-five law student of the University of Port Harcourt and Mr. Adekunle Olajide, a year-four law student of University of Ilorin, were first and second runners-up respectively.