News
Copyright Commission, NERDC Partner for National Book Policy Review, IP Knowledge Integration in Education Curricular
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) are to partner for effective review of the National Book Policy to meet present requirements and realities of the industry.
The Chief Executives of both regulatory agencies also agreed to work out modalities to infuse innovation, creativity and copyright knowledge into school curriculums.
Dr. John O. Asein, the Director-General (NCC), and Prof. Ismail Junaidu, the Executive Secretary (NERDC), reached these agreements during deliberations at the NERDC, FCT Liaison Office, Abuja on 22nd September 2022. This development signalled a renewed drive to strengthen Intellectual Property (IP) knowledge for sustainable wealth creation and development in the country.
The NCC Director-General appreciated the Executive Secretary for the shared commitment to development of the educational sector and growth of the nation’s economy in line with the present knowledge-driven order.
He listed other areas of possible collaboration with the NERDC as including the campaign for the adaptation and making available learning alternative devices for the blind, visually impaired persons and others with print disabilities, in line with provisions of the Marrakesh Treaty; sanitisation of the NERDC publishing and distribution channels to rid it of piracy and other impediments; NCC Youths and School Innovation and Creativity Enlightenment Project; and mutual staff trainings.
Making a case for the blind, dyslexics and print disabled persons, Dr. Asein noted that a system of equal access and inclusiveness through policies and provision of alternative learning materials like brails, android phones, tablets etc would help mitigate the increasing number of blind-out-of-school children across the country.
According to him, “We believe that NERDC will join us in this campaign so that whenever Government funds go into development or procurement of reading materials, there must be a commitment by the people providing those books that a percentage will also be made available for the visually impaired, the blind and print disabled”.
Stressing the importance of copyright knowledge to stakeholders, the Director-General disclosed that the Commission, through its training arm, the Nigerian Copyright Academy (NCA) was disposed to offering NERDC staff comprehensive training on copyright, the dos and don’ts of publishing and other related matters.
In his remarks, Prof. Junaidu assured that the NERDC would be pleased to work with the NCC to map out modalities of integrating innovation, creativity and copyright contents into the school curriculum; either as subjects, topics or to inbuild it into other career subjects.
He commended the Director-General, NCC for the move to collaborate in the interest of the publishing and copyright sector, noting that it was a great cause that would strengthen the educational sector and the country’s economy.
The Executive Secretary explained that the Book Policy was presently undergoing review and disclosed that the Council would begin to consult with relevant stakeholders like the NCC to ensure that it would be passed into law very soon.
While noting that policies were already in place to secure the interest and needs of blind students and encourage creativity, he added that NERDC was open to work with NCC to strengthen its programmes and achieve more robust, all-inclusive rich curricular for students.
The Executive Secretary gave assurances on the Council’s commitment to follow through with the proposed partnership, noting that NCC was expected to submit a comprehensive concept note, following which a technical team would be constituted from both agencies to draw up an MOU to formalise and define various aspects of the relationship, the action plan and modalities for implementation.
Also at the meeting were some directors of both agencies: NCC, Director of Operations, Mr. Obi Ezeilo; Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Hassan Usman; NERDC, Director, Curriculum Development Centre, Dr. Garba Gandu; Deputy Director and Head, NERDC Liaison Office, Mr. Jonathan Alebiosu; and Assistant Director, NCC DG’s Office, Mr. Seun Popoola.
Anambra State has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital transformation, emerging as one of Nigeria’s top three states in the 2025 e-Governance Report published by the Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
According to the report — a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) — Anambra ranks alongside Lagos and Enugu as the leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery.
In his remarks, Professor Anthony Kila, Director of CIAPS, emphasized the importance of e-governance in shaping how governments interact with citizens. “The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them,” he said.
The report evaluated states based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including website security, up-to-date content, public engagement, availability of online services, policy updates, and user accessibility. Anambra’s performance reflects the state’s deliberate investment in digital infrastructure and its commitment to leveraging technology as a tool for inclusive governance.
Reacting to the recognition, the Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the report as a welcome validation of the efforts being made under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to reposition Anambra as a liveable and prosperous smart mega-city.
“This is not just about being tech-savvy,” Agbata said. “It’s about using digital tools to create real impact — making the government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. Anambra is building a digital future that works for everyone.”
The CGPI Report recommended that all states intensify efforts to train public servants, maintain digital platforms effectively, and build user-friendly systems that keep citizens informed and empowered. For Anambra, this recognition serves both as a milestone and a motivation to scale new heights.
As the journey continues, Anambra remains focused on setting the pace for e-governance in Nigeria in line with the Governor’s mantra of Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the National Assembly to reject the Tinubu administration’s request to borrow $24 billion, warning that the move would significantly deepen Nigeria’s debt crisis.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the advocacy group warned that the proposed borrowing would raise Nigeria’s total debt stock to an estimated ₦183 trillion—an amount it described as “clearly not sustainable and not in the public interest.”
“The National Assembly must immediately refuse to approve the Tinubu administration’s request to borrow $24 billion,” the group said. “The growing national debt is not sustainable and not in the public interest.”
SERAP expressed concern over the heavy burden of debt servicing, which it said is already consuming a substantial portion of government revenue, leaving little room for critical public investment.
Nigeria’s total public debt is projected to surpass ₦180 trillion following the president’s latest loan request. The borrowing plan includes a proposal for over $21.5 billion in external loans, which equates to ₦33.39 trillion at the official exchange rate of ₦1,590 per dollar. The administration is also seeking approval for a domestic bond issuance worth ₦757.9 billion to settle outstanding pension liabilities.
President Tinubu said the 2025–2026 borrowing plan targets key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, water supply, security, and employment generation. He noted that the plan is also intended to cushion the economic impact of fuel subsidy removal.
The total loan request comprises $21.5 billion, €2.19 billion, and 15 billion Japanese Yen, alongside a €65 million grant. Tinubu assured lawmakers that the funds would be directed toward development projects across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with emphasis on rail networks, healthcare infrastructure, and poverty alleviation programs.
On pension-related borrowing, the president explained that the proposed bond issuance is aimed at clearing backlogs under the Contributory Pension Scheme. The measure, he added, has already received approval from the Federal Executive Council and is expected to improve retirees’ welfare, restore trust in the pension system, and inject liquidity into the economy.
Nigeria’s public debt has surged in recent years, rising by 48.6% in 2024 to ₦144.66 trillion—up from ₦97.34 trillion in 2023. The Federal Government accounts for 95% of that total.
Firm Reports a 48% Increase in Malicious Packages Threatening Software Supply Chains
Senate Passes Harmonised Report on Tax Reform Bills
FG to Provide High-fibre Internet in 12 Universities by Year End
The Silent Killer of Great Companies: A Guide To Why Your Processes Will Break (and How to Fix Them)
EFCC Witness Admits Writing Off Arik Air’s $2.3M Debt Amid N76Bn Fraud Trial
E-Financial3 days agoEFCC Recovers over N20Bn Stolen by Hackers from 6 Banks in Nigeria
Telecom3 days agoEngr. Ikechukwu Nnamani Receives Two Prestigious @ABoICT Awards
Telecom3 days agoFG to Deploy 80 Percent of 7000 Telecom Towers to North
E-Business2 days agoNigeria Among Hotspots as Kaspersky Warns of Rising Ransomware Threat in Africa
E-Financial2 days agoFidelity Bank Plc Wins 2025 DBN Innovation Award for MSME Support
E-Financial3 days agoPonzi Scheme Operators Risk N10m Penalty, Others- IST Chair
News3 days agoEFCC Recovers Funds, Arrests Suspects in N1.3 Trillion CBEX Crypto Fraud
E-Financial3 days agoUBA Launches *919# Advance Top-Up Feature for Instant Access to Customers