The House of Representatives Committee on Justice, led by its Chairman, Hon. Olumide Osoba paid a visit to the Nigerian Copyright Commission at its Headquarters in Abuja on 5th November 2024.
The visit was part of the Committee’s constitutional duties and in furtherance of its oversight functions to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance. According to the Chairman, the visit seeks to evaluate the Commission’s compliance with statutory and legislative directives, assess the quality and caliber of personnel administering its programmes and examine the impact of these initiatives on stakeholders. He stated that the evaluation would enable the Committee identify areas for legislative interventions to support the work of the agency.
After the briefing session which was followed by questions and comments from the Honourable members and a physical inspection of some of the Commission’s capital projects, members expressed satisfaction with the Commission and commended its efforts in safeguarding the rights of authors and in exploring alternative sources of revenue.
In his presentation and response to some of the questions, Director-General of NCC, Dr. John O. Asein informed the Committee that the Commission was considering other regulatory interventions to curb piracy and other copyright abuses as well as improve on the Commission’s internally generated revenue.
Dr. Asein said the copyright levy, which is provided for in the Copyright Act and recently operationalized, constituted the main revenue stream for the Commission. While confirming that collection of the levy has begun in respect of imported materials, he told members that the Commission plans to commence the collection from local manufacturers in 2025. He solicited the support of the Committee to facilitate access to the revenue and early distribution as required under the Copyright Act, the Copyright (Levy on Materials) and other relevant instruments.
Also commending Honourable members for their commitment to the enthronement of a strong and viable copyright system in Nigeria, the Director-General acknowledged earlier legislative interventions by the Committee in various copyright related matters. He expressed hope that with increased budgetary allocation to the Commission, it would do more to fight piracy and provide the required institutional support for rapid growth in the nation’s creative economy, while reducing the cost of enforcement on Government.
Other Honourable Members of the House Committee present at the oversight visit included: the Deputy Chairman, Hon. Sunday Umeha; Hon. Abubakar Kusada; Hon. Abdullahi Sani Rogo; Hon. Bully Osawaru; Hon. Afuare Afolabi and Hon. Sani Yakubu Moma.