‘No sufficient legislative interest’ to pass copyright bill into law

Otu Ukoyen, general secretary of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN), says the copyright bill has not been passed into law because of insufficient interest on the part of lawmakers.

Speaking at a media parley organised by the American Business Council (ABC) on Thursday, Ukoyen said it was crucial to make the government aware of the role and importance of intellectual property (IP).

The conference had as its theme, ‘IP Infringement in the Pharmaceutical Sector’.

“I can tell you that the copyright bill had overwhelming support from the private sector and, to a large extent, the public sector. But was there sufficient legislative interest to get it passed into law? The question is a resounding NO,” Ukoyen said.

The discussion also centred around impact on patient safety, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), protecting innovation and IP reporting.

“If you know the contribution of the entertainment industry to the GDP, you would wonder why despite that contribution, there has been very limited law reform. It is a fundamental problem,” Ukoyen said.

“Fortunately, we have a vice president that is a technocrat and he understands the importance of IP. We (IPLAN) are routing our engagements through the office of the VP and, hopefully, we will get the kind of traction we need to get the reforms done within the lifetime of this current administration.”

Chukwuma Muanya, assistant editor, The Guardian, expressed concern that Nigeria has emerged as a hotspot for the manufacture and trade of fake drugs.

He recommended that media organisations partner with agencies such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), as well as the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), to educate members of the public on the consequences of piracy, counterfeiting  and smuggling.