Damilare Kujembola: Copyright Protection In Nigeria

You would recall that in my last article, I stated that there is no centralized system of registering copyright in Nigeria. {Click here if you missed it} I stated that a “work” which is the subject not the copyright need not be registered before it can be protected under the law. In the process of patenting an invention, I came across a process known as copyright notification and I think it is important that I share it with you (You are probably wondering what Patent registration has to do with Copyright. I will disclose my findings as soon as I am done with the patent registration).

This process is not the same as copyright registration. It is merely a process of notifying the Copyright Commission of the existence of your work. So many times in the Entertainment industry, I come across clients who want an official documentation ascribing their work to them or “protecting” their work from infringement. Although protection commences after creation, the procedure will serve to put a lot of minds at rest with respect to their copyright.

The process is as follows:

• Go to the nearest Diamond Bank and pay the sum of N6,000 in the COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION SCHEME account, with account number 0009041272.
• At the bank indicate the name, signature, address and phone number of the applicant and title of the work.
• Go to the Nigerian Copyright Commission close to the Costain Bus stop with your teller and you’ll be given a form to fill.
• Attach two (2) passport photographs and a High court/ Notary public sworn affidavit. This shouldn’t cost more than N3,000.00
• Return the completed form to the NCC office, with a copy of your work most preferably in a CD.
• If you are paying a lawyer to apply on your behalf, you have to execute a power.of attorney showing that you have transferred the power to do all that you may lawfully do with respect  to notification.

After all these documents are ready, you are good to go. All applications will be gathered and forwarded to the Director General of the Commission. In cases where such notification is of extreme urgency and there is the need to fast track, you are better off paying for the dispatch of your documents yourself. This application may take between a month to three months depending on the availability of the Director General of the Commission who is to approve such notification.

Believe me, it can be a lot of stress, so you are better off paying a lawyer to have it done on your behalf.

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