The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has hailed President Bola Tinubu‘s administration for operationalising Nigeria’s copyright levy system, describing the development as a major step towards improving authors’ earnings and strengthening the economic value of the country’s creative industry.

Created under Section 89 of the Copyright Act 2022, the policy compensates rights holders for the private, non-commercial reproduction (such as photocopying and digital scanning) of their works.

The levy imposes a five per cent levy across select electronic devices, storage media, printers, photocopiers, phones, and cloud services capable of storing or copying copyrighted material. So far, the Federal Government has released an initial N1.21 billion through the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).

ANA President, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, said the intervention would help ensure that Nigerian writers receive financial rewards for the use and exploitation of their intellectual works, beyond the recognition their literary contributions attract.

He spoke at the opening of ANA’s 45th International Convention at the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Abuja, at the weekend, where he also commended the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), led by its Director-General, Dr. John Asein, for facilitating the process and advancing the protection of authors’ rights.

The operationalisation of the levy comes amid growing calls for stronger mechanisms to ensure that creators benefit financially from their intellectual property, particularly as literary works increasingly supply content for film, television, theatre, advertising and digital platforms

For authors and publishers, effective copyright administration could help expand legitimate revenue streams, improve returns on creative investments and strengthen incentives for producing new works

Speaking at the convention, Asein reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to strengthening copyright protection and ensuring that creators receive appropriate rewards for their intellectual and creative investments.

He described writers as foundational contributors to Nigeria’s creative economy, noting that literary works provide source material for multiple industries, including film, music, broadcasting, animation, advertising and digital content.

According to him, copyright provides the legal and economic framework for turning creative talent into valuable assets and sustainable livelihoods, with benefits extending across the creative value chain.
He described the unlocking of the copyright levy as an additional income stream for the creative industries and a recognition of creativity as both a cultural asset and a driver of economic growth

However, piracy remains a major threat to the ability of authors and publishers to earn from their works.
Asein said the NCC would intensify enforcement against copyright infringement in both physical and digital markets while strengthening collaboration with authors, publishers, technology platforms and other stakeholders.

He warned that piracy undermined not only authors’ incomes but also publishers’ investments, opportunities for emerging writers and the broader contribution of the creative industries to national economic development.

“Every pirated book takes something away from the author, the publisher and the creative ecosystem. Protecting copyright is therefore not simply about protecting works; it is about protecting livelihoods, investment and Nigeria’s creative future,” he said.

Akanbi said ANA would continue to pursue initiatives aimed at strengthening the literary sector, including professional development programmes, publishing support for emerging and established writers, and engagement with government on policies affecting the creative economy.

He also identified insecurity and prevailing economic difficulties as major constraints on creativity, calling for sustained efforts to create an environment in which writers and other creative professionals could work, publish and earn from their intellectual investments.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs in the Office of the SGF, Mrs. Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, called for greater use of literature to address national security challenges, strengthen national unity and promote social cohesion.

Akume also urged practical measures to expand access to books, support emerging writers and strengthen the publishing industry, describing the sector as a contributor to employment, cultural development and economic growth.

Delivering the keynote address, titled “Literature, National Security and the Place of Nigeria in the World,” the Vice-Chancellor of the Pan African School of Economics, Professor Mahfouz Adedimeji, advocated increased investment in public and school libraries, stronger institutional support for authors and wider international promotion of Nigerian literary works.

The convention also featured the presentation of awards to distinguished personalities and organisations, the induction of qualified members as ANA Fellows, panel discussions and the commissioning of projects at the ANA Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village.

The NCC received ANA’s Award for Excellence for its efforts to promote and protect authors’ intellectual property rights, while Asein received a Special Recognition Award for his contributions to Nigerian literature and the creative industry.