General News
Alaba Market No longer Haven for Piracy – Ezekude
Afam Ezekude, director-general, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), an agency with the responsibility of protecting the copyrights of artistes in the country.
Ezekude, a lawyer, risk manager and financial consultant is a seasoned financial services professional with over 20 years experience in compliance, enforcement and risk management gained in the UK and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia) region.
He has held numerous global senior management roles in some of the world’s largest professional services companies including Watson Wyatt Worldwide and Mercer Limited.
Until his appointment as the DG of NCC, he was the director of Legal, Compliance and Risk Management with a leading UK stock broking firm in the City of London.
He gave a stewardship of his one-year foray into the Nigerian intellectual property management business in Abuja. Excepts by miebi senge.
Miebi
Anti-Piracy and Enforcement
In the last 14 months, the Commission stepped up the tempo of its anti-piracy operations. Numerous anti-piracy raids were conducted resulting in the seizure of more than 6,193,210 units of pirated copyright works estimated at N1, 291,185,000.00. The seized items included films, sound recordings, books, software and illegal broadcast equipment. A total of 145 suspects were arrested within the period. Many of the suspects were arraigned in court.
The anti-piracy operations have continued with more vigour this year. Several anti-piracy operations have already been carried out since the beginning of the year. Notably, two raids have been carried out in the notorious Alaba Market in Lagos. The last of the raids in Alaba was carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, 13th March, 2012.
The raids which took place in two shopping plazas led to the arrest of 6 persons while they were carrying out illegal duplication of CDs of various copyright works. More than N30 million worth of pirated CDs, VCDs, DVDs as well as CD duplicating machines; printers and printed CD Jackets used in the illegal activities were confiscated. The suspects and the seizures made were paraded during a press briefing by the Commission on 13th March, 2012. The Commission is carrying out further investigations to unmask their collaborators, and to also facilitate the commencement of their prosecution in court as soon as possible.
The Commission will no longer condone the use of Alaba Market as a haven for piracy. In the ensuing months, we will intensify surveillance activities to ensure that all illegal activities in the market are detected and apprehended. This project will be a continuous one until we are able to sanitize the market and rid it of all piracy activities, be it in terms of production or distribution.
On January 25, 2012, the Commission carried out a public destruction of 722, 000 units of pirated works and contrivances estimated at N6.5 billion. These items were among those confiscated during anti-piracy raids carried out in the literary, broadcast and optical disc industries between 2007 and 2011. Apart from the need to demonstrate publicly our zero tolerance policy towards piracy; we also considered it important to dispose of such pirated material in a manner that would ensure that they do not find their way into the channels of trade.
Prosecution
One of the cardinal policies of the Commission under my leadership is to ensure the effective prosecution of all suspects, for which we can establish clear evidence of infringement. The Commission currently has 63 ongoing criminal and civil cases at the various divisions of the Federal High Court. Between January 2011 and February 2012, we instituted 26 criminal cases covering the various categories of copyright infringement namely, books, CDs, software, and broadcast. So far, 18 of these cases have resulted in convictions of the accused persons with various levels of sentences imposed in accordance with the provisions of the Law.
The Commission is doing everything necessary to ensure that Justice is done in these cases in order to serve as deterrence to prospective infringers.
We will intensify efforts in bringing to book all copyright infringers arrested in order to underscore the need for respect of rights of creators in Nigeria; and to also demonstrate that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for poachers of intellectual property rights.
Regulation of Copyright Industry
In the last one year, we have also taken steps to strengthen the implementation of the various regulatory interventions made by the Commission in order to encourage sound business practices and effective rights management in the copyright industries.
Operation of the Commission’s Copyright Notification Scheme which was commenced in 2005 has been enhanced with the introduction of customized software for processing of applications received from right owners. The Copyright Notification scheme is essentially a facility to enable the Commission maintain a data of authors and their works, and also enable authors to notify the Commission of the creation of their works or any transfer of rights in an existing work. The scheme which is voluntary helps to establish an independent evidence of the existence of a copyright work and the information associated with the work.
Between January 2010 and January 2012, a total of 4,480 copyright notification applications were received in the various categories of works and the Commission processed same and issued a total of 3,871 copyright notification acknowledgements while 609 applications were queried for various irregularities.
Under the Copyright (Optical Discs Plants) Regulations 2006, the Commission has continued to monitor operations of local optical discs manufacturers. This has led to a significant reduction in domestic piracy from point of production. The introduction of the mandatory use of International Federation of Phonographic Industry Source Identification Code by replicating plants and mastering facilities has tremendously improved the anti-piracy monitoring mechanism of the Commission. I am pleased to announce that there is 100 percent compliance with the Commission’s directive on the SID code. All legitimate CDs produced in Nigeria now carry the SID code. This has not only helped the Commission in its anti-piracy drive, but also enhances the profitability of the business of optical discs manufacturing. Our record shows that the number of replicating plants has risen from 10 in 2007 when the scheme commenced, to 16 in December 2011. Two new plants are currently undergoing registration process. The total number of production lines of all the plants has increased from 71 in 2009 to about 103 lines in December 2011.
The Commission has also taken steps to reposition the implementation of the Video rental regulations which was issued in 1999. The scheme was commenced as a means of addressing indiscriminate and unauthorized rental of movies in the video format, without recourse to right owners. In the ensuing years, various developments, including the changing format of packaging of movies, as well as the increased broadcast of home movies by television stations has impacted on the business of movie rentals. Consequently, we have revisited the operations of the scheme to enable it respond to these changes. Henceforth, the Commission expects all operators of video rental outlets to secure appropriate rental licenses from right owners of movies before putting such movies on rental. We shall ensure a vigorous enforcement of this directive in the coming months.
Regulation of Collective Management Regime
Collective management of copyright remains one of the cardinal mechanisms of bringing the gains of the Copyright system to right owners. The Commission has continued to build on the reforms of collective management commenced in 2007. Currently we are increasing our oversight on the two approved collective management Organizations; (the Reproduction Rights Organization of Nigeria (REPRONIG) (approved since 2001) and the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON)) to ensure that they operate within acceptable standards. We also want to ensure that the approved organizations deliver on their primary mandate of collecting royalties and distributing to their members.
We are pleased to note that COSON, the organization representing right owners of music and sound recordings made its first royalty distribution to its members since its approval in 2010, in December 2011. We have monitored the performance of the organization and are satisfied with the present state of operations. The Organization has through the recommendations of the Commission received various technical assistance of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Moreover, COSON has been admitted into the provisional membership of the International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies (CISAC), the international organization representing the interest of Collective Management Organizations in the area of music and sound recordings.
The Commission is however concerned that despite the phenomenal development of the film industry in Nigeria, the industry is yet to have a platform of collective management to cater for the interest of right owners in that industry. The Commission encourages right owners to team up under a strong platform to work towards establishing such framework. The Commission as usual will provide the necessary regulatory guidance and support.
Public Awareness Interventions
In furtherance of its awareness creation policy, the Commission has deployed integrated media campaign to enhance public awareness on copyright issues as well as the sustained implementation of the Commission’s mandate. There has been effective, periodic media coverage of the Commission’s regulatory and enforcement interventions at the grassroots, in addition to other awareness measures including press conferences, publication and dissemination of information materials like pamphlets and handbills. I also decided to embark on special advocacy meetings with a cross-section of stakeholders, opinion leaders, traditional and religious leaders in the different geopolitical zones of the country. The essence of such meetings was to secure a critical endorsement by all strata of the society of the Commission’s campaigns and promotion of copyright culture.
Copyright Marshals’ Scheme
We are exploring all avenues of closer collaboration with our stakeholders. One of such platforms is the Copyright Marshals’ Scheme which will enable representatives of stakeholder organizations appointed by the Commission as Copyright Marshalls to participate in some enforcement activities of the Commission. The role of the Copyright Marshals would include mobilizing relevant right owners in identifying pirated works; sourcing for, and providing the Commission with intelligence on piracy activities; and assisting the Commission in awareness creation.
Technical Cooperation and Stakeholders Partnerships
In the last one year, the Commission has increased its collaboration with international development agencies and other non-governmental organizations, including the World Intellectual Property Organization ﴾WIPO﴿; the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA); United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), the International Federation of Phonographic Industry and the World Customs Organization ﴾WCO﴿. These collaborations have resulted in a number of cooperation agreements, principally aimed at boosting the institutional capacity of the Commission. In the year under review, the Commission executed the following Cooperation agreements:
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Strategic Co-operation on Copyright with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the United Kingdom in September 2011.
International Cooperation Agreement with Queensland University of Technology on Provision of Tuition Fee Scholarship to NCC Staff for Research in Intellectual Property Law and Entrepreneurship and;
An MoU on Teaching and Promotion of IP in Nigeria between with the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja.
Similarly the Commission’s active collaboration with national copyright stakeholders like Nigerian Publishers Association ﴾NPA﴿, Music Label Owners and Recording Industries Association of Nigeria ﴾MORAN﴿, MultiChoice Nigeria, and Microsoft; has enhanced the scope and effectiveness of the Commission’s antipiracy operations.
Challenges
The Commission has striven to deliver on its statutory mandate within the context of the general operating conditions of the public sector. However, the Commission is faced with a number of challenges, the most pertinent being the lack of prioritization of copyright matters in the national development plan; limited financial and infrastructural resources; manpower constraints; limited awareness; uncooperative attitude of some of the stakeholders; slow judicial processes; and weak border enforcement to control importation of pirated works.
One a quiet Wednesday, February 22, 1956, in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli, Imo State, the family of Chief and Lolo Ebenezer Ekeh leaped for joy at the birth of Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh- their second son.
Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh
His birth was both cosmic, and disruptive as his journey down this 70 years on earth has proven.
Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh, popularly know as Leo Stan Ekeh or LSE is human by birth but profound, rare and has higher consciousness.
Imbued with deep intuition, intense creativity, and compassionate nature, Leo Stan possesses critical thinking ability.
He has relentless drive to succeed across multiple facets of life. This is a self-made construct driven by his deep spiritual and purposeful living, rather than just mere survival.
Despite the recurring and abrupt reversal of government policies, which leave companies including his hemorrhaging, Leo Stan has remained committed and actively participate in the development and nation-building of Nigeria.
Am one of the lucky people to have known him up close and personal for nearly 30 years.
He has endured lots of back biting and campaigns of calumny from competitors and even betrayals from least expected people.
But his tenacity makes him stand firm on his beliefs regardless of feelings, or circumstances.
He has stumbled in businesses, failed in some ventures; but he always get right up. At one point, he nearly lost his head selling international commodities.
LSE takes every loss with equanimity as a dogged fighter.
A serial entrepreneur and with eyes for great minds, Leo Stan does not just walk through life; he leaves a trail of light, lifting everyone around him with kindness and wisdom. And there are testimonials.
For me, he is a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope. My benefactor.
He is also a benefactor to many. He has a way of making associates feel vital, loved, and valued.
Today is his Platinum Birthday but his roads have not always been paved with gold.
His early life was as ordinary as it can be, LSE attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri for his secondary education.
During his early years, he wanted to own the biggest transport company in Nigeria.
He later went to India for his university education, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Punjab University.
Leo Stan believes that studying in India was a great turning point in his life because he found the economy of India a realistic economy”.
He later also earned an MSc in Risk Management from the University of Nottingham.
At 70, he attained his height by trust in God, determination and CAN DO attitude.
Today, his business opinions and advisory are welcome around the world.
Leo Stan once told me “I saw myself from the beginning even when my parents were alive as an orphan. It drives me.”
He has three brothers and two sisters, His mother was a dietitian, and his father was a nurse
“I come from a lineage of people who served God dedicatedly. I am a miracle child and I remember my mother had always predicted that I would be great. I have siblings but I live my life as if I am the only child of my parents” he said
He believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world.
His solid prints in the business world is well documented. He has his hands in his hands in several businesses including ICT, e-commerce, broadcasting, oil and gas, media publishing and real estate.
Leo Stan is a man of many firsts: he pioneered a new world of digital economy at a time the country was deeply analogue both in the workplace and in schools.
The Nigerian media industry, from advertising to newspapers, owes him much gratitude for changing their operational processes and methodologies from mundane, medieval analogue to the robust and elegant digital platform.
Within 30 years, he has transformed a start-up that sprouted from a make-shift apartment that also doubled as his home into a digital conglomerate with incursions into oil and gas, entertainment and property.
Leo Stan started Zinox Technologies Limited in 2001 to manufacture computers.
He ensured that at launch Zinox Computers already had the WHQL certification, the first in sub-Saharan Africa, consolidated 5 years later with the attainment of the NIS ISO 2000: 9001 QMS Certification.
In October 2013, the company announced the production of its computer tablet line named Zipad
Task Systems, Technology Distributions Limited, Konga (Africa’s foremost truly composite e-commerce outpost combining offline-online mix in service delivery), Konga Radio, and TD Mobile, to name a few, complete the ensemble of businesses in his thriving conglomerate.
In all his companies, there is a growth pathway for every employee.
He deliberately creates a system that rewards every hardworking and dedicated employee.
From drivers sponsored to universities and returning to the conglomerate as degree holders to persons who joined the organisation as janitors working their way up the corporate ladder, he has brought his humanity to bear on people around him.
Making some lowly staff home-owners and sponsoring indigent students to universities at home and abroad comes to him as a routine.
Just a few days ago, ahead of his 70th birthday, he offered University scholarships to additional 1,000 Nigerian indigent wizkids to study Computer Science in Federal Universities. He is committing about N10 billion to the scholarship scheme.
This is so the country’s private and public sectors have a new generation of tech wizkids to support the economy’s growth.
Recall that his group has trained and retrained over 3000 Nigerians and donated tech centres to over 25 institutions nationwide just to mention a few.
The former alter boy and chorister in his local community Catholic Church at Ubomiri, now a multi-billionaire, has stayed humble.
He draws a distinct line between capitalism and welfarism.
Leo Stan is great man, a leader with unparalleled integrity and a heart of gold.
He has earned over 6o international and local awards over many years of incisive entrepreneurship, was equally singled out and honoured by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the occasion of Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2001 with an ICON OF HOPE award as a pride to modern Nigeria and as a model for Nigerian youths.
Again, President Obasanjo honoured him with another national award – the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2003.
A Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society, the umbrella body of all computer associations in Nigeria, he was also awarded the pioneer ICT Personality of the Year by this professional body.
In November 2019, Ekeh was honoured by President Muhammadu Buhari with the National Productivity Order of Merit award for his sustained leadership in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
With over four Doctorate Degrees (Honorary) and fifteen fellowships from recognized institutions and as a former global advisor to Microsoft, as well as Forbes Best of Africa Leading Tech Icon Award his outstanding entrepreneurship.
Leo Stan is Ochiririozuo Ubomiri, Ebekuo Dike, Ideato and Iyi of Mbaitoli
Africa’s trading community is rapidly growing, evolving, and showing increasing interest in financial markets. From Lagos to Nairobi, from Accra to Johannesburg, more and more people are exploring financial markets as a way to develop skills, earn income, and participate in the global economy. But the ability to trade isn’t enough; traders also need reliable technology, fair conditions, and tools that help them make informed decisions and trade effectively.
JustMarkets
This is where trading platforms like JustMarkets make a significant contribution to the development and expansion of the trading community in the African region.
By combining global market access with a results-oriented trading environment, JustMarkets helps African traders compete head-to-head with those in the world’s largest financial centers, providing access to tight spreads, a wide range of analytical materials, and a variety of account types.
Breaking Barriers to Global Markets
For years, traders in emerging markets have faced limitations: slow platforms, a limited range of instruments, low liquidity, wide spreads, and infrastructure that hinders professional trading and effective analysis. Today, JustMarkets addresses this significant gap by providing African traders with access to a wide range of global financial instruments through a single, optimized online platform.
Now traders have the opportunity to test short-term strategies, long-term portfolio diversification, and learn how markets work. Traders can now explore opportunities in forex, commodities, indices, and stock markets without geographic barriers or technical difficulties.
A Trading Platform Built for Performance
Technology plays a critical role in modern trading. Market conditions can change in seconds, and execution speed often makes the difference between opportunity and missed entry. The JustMarkets leading trading platform is designed to support fast, confident decisions in real time.
Ultra-fast execution. Engineered for low-latency order processing, the app helps ensure trades are executed quickly and efficiently when markets move.
Full risk management. Stop-loss, take-profit, and position sizing can be managed directly from the chart, helping traders stay disciplined and protect capital.
Advanced charting. Interactive charts, multiple timeframes, drawing tools, and built-in indicators provide the analytical depth needed for informed trading decisions.
Real-time alerts. Instant notifications about price movements, order events, and key market developments help traders stay connected even when they’re away from the screen.
Secure authentication. Biometric login, encrypted data transmission, and advanced internal security protocols ensure that accounts and personal data remain protected.
This combination of speed, usability, and security makes professional-grade trading accessible from anywhere, even on the go with JustMarkets mobile trading app.
Trade a Wide Range of Global Markets
Access to diverse instruments allows traders to adapt to different market conditions and explore multiple strategies. JustMarkets provides African traders with the ability to participate in major asset classes worldwide.
Forex. Trade major, minor, and exotic currency pairs with competitive pricing and deep liquidity.
Gold & Metals. Access precious metals such as XAUUSD and XAGUSD, popular instruments for active traders and those seeking exposure to global macro trends with competitive spreads.
Indices. Engage with leading global stock indices including the S&P 500, NASDAQ, Dow Jones, DAX, and FTSE – markets that reflect the performance of major economies.
Stocks. Trade shares of global companies and high-volume market leaders, opening opportunities to follow international corporate trends.
Energy. Speculate on key energy commodities such as WTI and Brent crude oil, instruments often influenced by geopolitical and macroeconomic developments.
This broad market selection helps traders diversify and respond flexibly to changing global conditions.
Supporting Trader Development
Expanding technical, educational, and analytical capabilities extends beyond technology. JustMarkets also places a special emphasis on helping traders build knowledge and confidence. Access to educational materials, market analysis, and structured risk management tools fosters a more disciplined and informed approach to trading, including setting trading goals.
For many African traders, this means moving from random speculation and emotional trades to a more professional mindset, and most importantly, understanding that long-term success depends on strategy, risk management, continuous learning, and a cool head.
Connecting Africa to the Global Financial Ecosystem
Financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, with traders from all regions now participating in the same global capital flow. Offering advanced tools such as flexible leverage, fast order execution, and broad access to markets and trading assets, the JustMarkets online trading platform helps African traders become active participants in this ecosystem with full access to analytical and educational materials, as well as cutting-edge technological solutions for managing trades, accounts, and open positions. JustMarkets’ commitment to empowering traders, increasing financial literacy, and enabling people to engage with global markets on a level playing field. As the African trading community grows, online trading platforms like JustMarkets, which combine performance, accessibility, and security, will play a key role in this process. But pay attention that risk management still is a key to success as CFD trading involves risks.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has issued an interim Mareva injunction freezing copyright levy funds due to the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN).
The order prevents the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and at least 20 commercial banks from disbursing these funds until further court proceedings.
The injunction stems from Suit No. FHC/L/CS/207/2026, following an ex parte application filed on February 5, 2026, by the Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative on behalf of 11 major record labels and music companies.
Plaintiffs include industry heavyweights such as Mavin Records, Davido Music Worldwide, Chocolate City Music, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Africa, and Warner Music South Africa.
The plaintiffs, through their attorney, sought to restrain the CBN from releasing any copyright levy funds related to sound recordings earmarked for MCSN.
They also asked the court to bar MCSN and its agents from accessing, transferring, or using the funds, whether received directly from the CBN or routed through commercial banks.
ABoICT Lecture 2026 to Focus on Impact of AI, IoT on Business Operational Efficiency
Leo Stan @ 70: Blessed and Bruised by Country, Eyes Next Disruption
IXPN Positions as the Regional Internet Exchange Hub for West Africa
Pheelz Shares His Journey on Glo-Sponsored African Voices
AI-Driven Memory Chip Fuels Global Phone Price Surge
Nigeria’s 9 Top FinTech Firms Valued at $10.6Bn in January 2026
Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals
CBN Upgrades Licences of Opay, Moniepoint, Kuda, Palmpay, Paga to National Status
NITDA, NBC Explore Strategic Collaboration on Digital Transformation, Media Regulation
Accidental Billionaire Opts for Jail Instead of Returning Money Credited Him by Mistake
Telecom2 days agoBanks, Telcos Settle Four-Year Dispute over N300Bn USSD Debt
General News1 day agoHow JustMarkets Is Empowering African Traders with Global Market Access
E-Financial2 days agoACAMB Educates Content Creator to Curb Misinformation on Bank Recapitalisation
Telecom1 day agoGroup Condemns Gabon’s Social Media Shutdown Amid Protests
General News2 days agoPalmPay Unveils First Batch of Winners in #LoveWithPalmPay Campaign
E-Financial2 days agoFirstCap MD says Payment Security Remains Biggest Barrier to Bankable Gas and Power Projects
E-Business1 day agoMutual Benefits Assurance Settles ₦5.9bn Claims in January 2026
General News2 days agoCourt Freezes MCSN Copyright Levies amid Record Label Legal Battle