Digital content now protected as Buhari signs copyright bill into law

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Copyright Bill 2022 into law. 

In a statement signed by Nasiru Baballe Ila, SSA to Buhari on national assembly matters (house of representatives), the president signed the bill into law on March 17.

The Copyright Act 2022, which repeals the Act of 2004, provides effective administration, regulation, enforcement and protection of copyright in the digital environment.

“The principal objectives of the new law as outlined in section one are to: protect the rights of authors and ensure just rewards and recognition for their intellectual efforts, provide appropriate limitations and exceptions to guarantee access to creative works, facilitate Nigeria’s compliance with obligations arising from relevant international copyright treaties and conventions, as well as enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for effective regulation, administration, and enforcement,” the statement reads.

The Act provides a broad explanation of copyright, ranging from literary, musical, artistic, audiovisual, sound recordings, and broadcast works.

The legislation expands the rights of authors, raises the sanctions for criminal infringements and addresses the challenges posed by the digital and online use of copyrighted works.

The law provides explicit protection for audio-visual works in digital content, which means online content including pictures, videos, sound recordings, and other productions can’t be used without the consent of the creators.

Section 20 of the Act, however, lists the exemptions to which a creator can sue for copyright.

The president also signed the Federal College of Medical Laboratory and Technology Bill, Jos, into law.