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Help! IP Thieves Killing Nigeria
Intellectual piracy, that is stealing of the ideas of others and claiming them as your own is the commonest crime in Nigeria today and one that is threatening all the fabrics of the country’s life, Nigeria Communications Week can now reveal.
The most common types of piracy and counterfeiting internationally include: medications, apparel, footwear and handbags, movies and music, auto parts, electronics, health products (toothpaste, lotion, vitamins) and food, alcohol and beverages.
Piracy or counterfeiting is a too benevolent term that doesn’t even begin to adequately describe the toll that the theft takes on the many artists, musicians, record label employees, industrialists, manufacturers and the country in general.
Though reliable statistics are hard to come by, losses as a result of counterfeiting and piracy are staggering and thought to have exceeded genuine earnings.
According to a research by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and the International Data Corporation (IDC), Nigeria lost more than N19.8 billion ($132 million) to software piracy alone in 2008.
Nodding in agreement, Karen Burress, a US department of commerce representative who recently visited the country, pointed out that counterfeit goods – including music, movies, electronic goods, food stuffs, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals, among many other things account for 7 per cent of all global trade. This equated to almost $350 billion in lost revenues and millions of jobs gone wanting worldwide.
“We estimate that Nigeria is the largest market in Africa for goods that infringe IP rights. Around 80% of the international music CDs available here are pirated; even the local music industry sees 40% of its products being copied, counterfeited or sold illegally,” she said.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the pirated CD of any artiste sells for as low as N100 while the original sells for as high as N2, 000.
The shameless debasement of the industry is not limited to music, counterfeit computer hardware and accessories also abound in the country.
Investigations revealed that the city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is the major gateway for fake and sub-standard phones, computers, and other ICT accessories into the country.
Dubai, a top re-exporting destination, is said to acts as a catalyst for the huge volumes of exports from India, Vietnam, Singapore and China to Nigeria.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that most of the fake and sub-standard ICT products are manufactured in China, Singapore, Vietnam and India, but sold in Dubai, which is a major market for most importers from Nigeria.
It also is surprising how the products get into the country amidst the measures said to be put in place by the government.
Investigations showed that the major market for all these fake products is the Computer Village in Lagos, the largest computer and mobile phones and accessories market in West Africa.
The duplication of duties of Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), Standard Organization of Nigeria (Son) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (Nafdac) only seem to have bolstered the booming trade.
The involvement of organized crime and terrorist groups worldwide in counterfeiting products to finance their activities has not helped matters.
Magnitude and effects of counterfeiting and piracy necessitate strong action which is in short supply in the country.
Describing the current spate of law enforcement activities as inadequate Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (Bascap) pointed the way forward.
The group said there was urgent need for Nigeria to adopt new Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement guidelines for the protection of rights owners in their territories.
It has also launched a set of intellectual property (IP) guidelines designed to help businesses around the globe protect their copyright and branded materials, and deter trade in counterfeit and pirated goods.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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