The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) says Nigeria’s creative and digital economy is gaining global prominence, with Afrobeats making waves internationally and Nollywood reshaping the global film industry.
Dr Oluwatobiloba Moody, Director of the WIPO Nigeria Office, said this, on Monday September 28, at a National Seminar on Copyright, Cybersecurity and Nigeria’s Creative and Digital Economy organised by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in Abuja. He warned that online piracy had evolved from street-level counterfeiting into a sophisticated, borderless activity linked to cybersecurity risks, malware and other forms of digital crime.
Moody said tackling the problem required more than enforcement, stressing the need for capacity building, technical assistance and greater respect for intellectual property. He commended Nigeria’s Copyright Act 2022 and said WIPO would continue supporting the country through initiatives including WIPO Alert and the Building Respect for IP framework.
The Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Dr Charles Ebuebu, said piracy had become increasingly sophisticated and was taking a significant toll on the creative economy. Emily Young, Economic Adviser at the U.S. Embassy, also praised the creativity of Nigerians, particularly in music and dance, and stressed the importance of protecting creators so the industry could continue to grow.
Leave a comment