• Reiterates commitment to transparent, efficient distribution
The licensed Collective Management Organisation (CMO) for text and image-based works, Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG), has commended the Federal Government on the historic disbursement of the first tranche of the Copyright Levy fund, amounting to ₦1.2bn.

REPRONIG is regulated by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), with the primary mandate of managing reprographic rights of authors and publishers.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Gbadega Adedapo, the CMO expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his administration’s “decisive political will, turning a long dormant provision of our copyright law into a tangible economic stimulus for creators of literary works.”

Adedapo said, “we at REPRONIG recognise it as a definitive victory for secondary right owners in the literary field. This action boldly affirms the government’s commitment to positioning intellectual property as a cornerstone of national economic growth.”

He also expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) under the leadership of its Director-General, Dr John Asein, adding, “The commission’s diligence, expertise, and unwavering commitment to upholding the tenets of the Copyright Act, 2022, as amended, has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of this levy’s implementation. Your stewardship ensures that the rights of all creators, including those in the literary field, are protected and duly compensated.”

Adedapo continued, “REPRONIG reaffirms its readiness to work within the framework established by the NCC to ensure that this landmark intervention benefits the grassroots of Nigeria’s literary community. We stand committed to a transparent, efficient, and equitable distribution system through the associations of right holders of literary works. We are confident that this fund will empower writers and publishers, foster a vibrant culture of reading, and stimulate the publishing industry.”

Adedapo informed that membership of REPRONIG is open to individual authors, right holders or associations of right holders of literary works, adding, “any author, publisher or assignee of a literary work (novels, stories, poetic works, plays, scripts, textbooks, essays, anthologies, law reports, computer programs, etc.), whether in electronic or print format is eligible to become a member of REPRONIG. It rightfully compensates them for the secondary use of their intellectual property, providing a crucial revenue stream that acknowledges their contribution to national development, education, and culture.”

Also, REPRONIG’s global partner for CMOs, the International Federation of Reproductive Rights Organisation (IFRRO) has commended the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and its director-general “for the recent distribution of Private Copying Remuneration, and in particular for the support extended to the Reproduction Rights Organisation of Nigeria (REPRONIG),” the international body said in a commendation letter signed by IFRRO’s Secretary General and CEO, Anita Huss Ekerhult.

Continuing, Ekerhult said, “We have been informed of the first payment of the share of the private copying remuneration to REPRONIG, a valued IFRRO member and an important voice for collective management in the region.

IFRRO warmly welcomes this significant milestone, which marks a concrete step toward the effective implementation of the private copying system and the fair remuneration of authors and publishers for the private use of their works.”