Buhari signs Copyright Bill into law to protect authors
By Abimbola Mohammed
The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the copyright Bill 2022 that protects authors from copyright infringements.
This was made known by Hon. Nasiru Baballe Ila, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives) in a statement recently. He said the bill was passed by the President on March 17th.
The Copyright Act 2022, which repeals the Act of 2004, provides effective administration, regulation, enforcement and protection of copyright in the digital environment.
Hon. IIa said the principal objectives of the new law, as outlined in section 1 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; and enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for effective regulation, administration, and enforcement.”
According to him, the new Copyright Act expands the rights of authors, raises the sanctions for criminal infringements and “more adequately addresses the challenges posed by digital and online use of copyright works.”
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.
In the same view the President also signed the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos Act, 2023.
He said the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos Act, 2023, repeals the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jos (Establishment) Act, 2018 and enacts the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos Act, 2023, establishes the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science, Jos, to make the institution more effective in the discharge of its functions.
The new Act, among others, seeks to strengthen the organisational framework, and bring its provision in conformity with current democratic principles and operations of existing educational institutions, and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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