NCC seizes N10 billion worth of pirated materials

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Monday said it has seized pirated materials worth about N10 billion in the last six year in the country.

Mr Afam Ezekude, the NCC Director-General, made this known on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The commission has scaled up its enforcement activities in the last six and half years and we have seized pirated items to the tune of over 10 billion naira; remove from markets and shops.

“So in terms of enforcement and prosecution, things have really, dramatically changed over the last six and half years and the creative industry should be well aware of that.

Ezekude also said that the commission’s strategies in eradicating piracy remained the same.

He said that the commission would introduce new legislations to strengthen the fight against piracy in the country.

“The draft copyright bill is undergoing fine-tuning at the office of the Attorney General.

“We are hoping that with the new bill becoming a law, it will help to make the copyright industry more vibrant and encourage more creativity and it will address the issue of piracy on the internet.

“So these are the sort of things we are hoping to achieve in the next years so that the industry will become a more vibrant industry and contribute more to the economy and the GDP of the country.

NAN reports that the Copyright Decree No. 47 of 1988 established NCC in August 1989.