The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting responsible, responsive and sustainable access to creative works in the digital environment, in a manner that balances the interests of all stakeholders within the copyright and knowledge ecosystem.

Dr. John Asein, Director-General, NCC, made this known while receiving a delegation from the Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, led by its President, Mr. Olushola Olaniyan, during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters. The visit was aimed at exploring potential areas of collaboration between the two organisations.

Dr. Asein acknowledged the significant role Wikimedia plays in making knowledge and information widely accessible, while stressing the need for responsible use of copyright-protected works in the digital space.

He noted that although the Commission may not endorse unrestricted open access to all creative works, it supports responsible access that ensures a fair balance between public interest and the rights of creators.

He encouraged Wikimedia, other digital platform operators, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to promote the responsible use of the copyright system to safeguard the interests of rights holders and strengthen the knowledge economy.

Dr. Asein cautioned the public that freely available doesn’t mean that creative works online are all free. “We want to see more people buy into the responsible use of copyright system in the digital space, in a manner that will further edify right owners and keep the knowledge cycles running for the good of all stakeholders” he stressed.

The DG also highlighted the importance of the public domain and assured that the Commission will continue to draw attention to its value, as part of a broader effort to help all parties benefit from the copyright framework. He further briefed the Wikimedia delegation on key provisions of the Copyright Act, 2022, including updates on the NCC’s e-Registration System, copyright duration, compulsory licensing, and the protection of folklore and cultural heritage.

In response, Mr. Olaniyan expressed appreciation to the NCC management and staff for their ongoing work in strengthening Nigeria’s copyright landscape. He reaffirmed Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation’s commitment to supporting the Commission’s efforts to advance and protect the nation’s creative and knowledge economy.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on potential areas of collaboration, including joint copyright awareness campaigns, digital space engagement, and enlightenment training sessions.

The Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation, an affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation Inc., is dedicated to promoting free knowledge and open access to information by encouraging the creation and dissemination of locally relevant content under open licenses such as Creative Commons.

An Interpol-coordinated operation has led to the arrest of 1 209 suspected cyber criminals that targeted nearly 88 000 victims. Dubbed Operation Serengeti 2.0, the crackdown recovered $97.4 million and dismantled 11 432 malicious networks used for cyber crime, says the law enforcement organisation.

The operation was set up to combat cyber-crime across the African continent, focusing on several criminal activities targeting organisations and individuals in the region.

The participating countries were Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania, the UK, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Run between June and August, the operation brought together investigators from the 18 African countries and the UK to tackle high-harm and high-impact cyber crimes, including ransomware, online scams and business e-mail compromise.

According to Interpol, private sector collaboration partners assisted with intelligence, guidance and training to help investigators act on intelligence and identify offenders effectively.

The intelligence was shared with participating countries ahead of the operation, providing critical information on specific threats, as well as suspicious IP addresses, domains and C2 servers.

Valdecy Urquiza, secretary-general of Interpol, comments: “Each Interpol-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries.

“With more contributions and shared expertise, the results keep growing in scale and impact. This global network is stronger than ever, delivering real outcomes and safeguarding victims.”

The first edition of operation Serengeti was held from September to October 2024 and cracked down on cyber crimes such as ransomware operations, digital extortion and online scams.

The criminal activities caused nearly $193 million in damages and, as a result of an effort uniting nearly 20 participating countries, more than 1 000 suspected cyber criminals were arrested, at the time.

The outcomes of Serengeti 2.0 saw authorities dismantle 25 crypto-currency mining centres in Angola, where the suspects were illegally validating blockchain transactions to generate crypto-currency.

The crackdown also identified 45 illicit power stations that were confiscated, along with mining and IT equipment worth more than $37 million, which has now been earmarked by the government to support power distribution in vulnerable areas.

In Zambia, authorities dismantled a large-scale online investment fraud scheme, identifying 65 000 victims who lost an estimated total of $300 million.

“The scammers lured victims into investing in crypto-currency through extensive advertising campaigns promising high-yield returns. Victims were then instructed to download multiple apps to participate,” reads the statement.

According to Interpol, authorities arrested 15 individuals and seized key evidence, including domains, mobile numbers and bank accounts. Investigations are ongoing with efforts focused on tracking down overseas collaborators.

Also in Zambia, authorities identified a scam centre and, in joint operations with the Immigration Department in Lusaka, disrupted a suspected human trafficking network. They confiscated 372 forged passports from seven countries.

“Despite being one of the oldest-running internet frauds, inheritance scams continue to generate significant funds for criminal organisations.

“Officers in Côte d’Ivoire dismantled a transnational inheritance scam originating in Germany, arresting the primary suspect and seizing assets, including electronics, jewellery, cash, vehicles and documents. With victims tricked into paying fees to claim fake inheritances, the scam caused an estimated $1.6 million in losses.”

Operation Serengeti 2.0 was held under the umbrella of the African Joint Operation against Cyber Crime, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The collaborating partners were Cyber Crime Atlas, Fortinet, Group-IB, Kaspersky, The Shadowserver Foundation, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, TRM Labs and Uppsala Security.

Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) on Monday commended the Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) for spearheading a new initiative known as ‘Project Bridge’.

Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON, stated in an interview with NAN in Lagos that the initiative aimed to create a robust and resilient telecommunications backbone across Nigeria.

Emoekpere stated that the project was an ambitious public-private partnership designed to connect all 36 states and Abuja, as well as LGAs, via fiber optic cables.

According to him, the initiative is not meant to replace existing infrastructure but to complement it, creating a more resilient network.

“Right now, most of the networks that we have are linear in nature. ’Just imagine, if there’s only one road from Lagos to Ibadan; if anything happens to that road, you would not get to Ibadan.

‘’This project will create alternative routes,” he said.

The ATCON boss stated that the project was modeled after the successful PPP framework in the energy sector, with the government contributing a certain percentage to the Special Purpose Vehicle and the private sector providing the remaining funding.

He stated that the project’s goal was to establish alternative, redundant connections, thereby ensuring that services remained uninterrupted even if one part of the network was compromised.

The president expressed the full support of telcos, noting that the project would enable members to deliver services more effectively in locations where infrastructure was currently a significant challenge.

“With this project, we will have multiple options,” he said.

Project BRIDGE involves building a nationwide fiber optic network to expand digital infrastructure and connectivity, rather than a physical bridge, as part of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan.

The project is a public-private partnership ($2 billion cost) using an SPV to deploy 90,000km of fiber-optic cable to enhance education, healthcare, and the digital economy.