The Copyright Bill (SB 688): Is Regulation Finally Catching Up With Innovation?

The Copyright Act (the “Act”) governs the regulation of copyright in Nigeria. The Act was enacted to promote the protection of the exclusive rights of authors of original works and to ensure they reap the full beneﬁts over their works, amongst other things.

However, since the enactment of the Act, creativity has snowballed past the ambit of protection contemplated under the law, mostly attributable to advancement in technology as well as the exponential growth of the internet. Today, almost anyone anywhere can recreate and distribute copyrightable content at ease, thereby creating a challenge for the eﬀective enforcement of rights accorded under the Act.

In view of the above, the Copyright Bill (SB 688) (the “Bill”) was introduced on the ﬂoor of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on 7 June 2021, the Bill passed its second reading. The Bill seeks to repeal the Copyright Act 2004 by introducing contemporary provisions aimed at addressing current challenges faced by copyright holders in Nigeria.

This newsletter highlights the salient Provisions of The Bill and its Implications.

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