The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) is set to introduce a new regulatory regime for printers of copyright works as part of efforts to entrench copyright best practices in their operations and curb the activities of pirates.
The director general of the agency, Mr. John Asein, who disclosed this at a consultative meeting with a delegation of the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON) who met with him at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, recently said there was the need for minimum standards of engagement for professional printers.
He said the initiative would help to boost legitimate businesses and strengthen the printing sector of the value chain in the book industry.
To entrench copyright compliance and international best practices in specialised printing, he said the Commission would partner CIPPON for appropriate oversight.
“It is necessary to know who is printing what,” he added.
Asein said the Commission would invoke its powers under the Copyright Act to sanction any printer found to be using its press for criminal activities.
He therefore urged printers to carry out due diligence before taking on any jobs and to keep adequate records of their production as required under the Act.
In his remarks, the president of CIPPON, Mr. Olugbemi Malomo assured that the association would support the anti-piracy efforts of the NCC to ensure a sustainable development of the copyright industries.
He stated that CIPPON would willingly share intelligence with the Commission to curb pirate activities and facilitate effective regulation of the printing industry to uphold professionalism among its members.
The delegation enlisted the support of the federal agency in its ongoing campaign to “keep Nigerian printing jobs in Nigeria” and urged the other stakeholders to join in promoting the sustainable development of the Nigerian printing industry.
