News
IP Expert Seeks Mandatory Copyright Registration, Whistle Blower Policy on Piracy
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has been urged to initiate a regulatory scheme for compulsory registration of copyright and a whistle blower policy to strengthen its renewed drive for enhanced copyright protection and effective anti-piracy enforcement in the country.
Dr. Abdullahi Saliu Ishola, an Intellectual Property (IP) lecturer and acting head of department of the College of Law, Kwara State University, Malete, made this call in Ilorin yesterday (6th November 2013) while delivering a guest lecture on NCC anniversary theme, “Changing the Copyright Narrative for Wealth Creation” as part of activities organised by NCC Kwara State Office in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Commission.
Proffering some practical solutions towards changing the copyright narrative in Nigeria, Dr. Ishola stated that the Commission should initiate proactive measures to check the prevalence of piracy, engender positive attitude of copyright owners and enlist an active role for right owners in the copyright system.
Calling for a review of the Copyright Collective Management Organisations Regulations, he urged the Commission to invoke its discretionary powers in sections 38(1) and 39 of the Copyright Act to approve CMOs as its enforcement agents by appointing some of them as copyright inspectors.
According to him, “NCC should accredit NGOs as copyright activists like the Corporate Affairs Commission accredits lawyers, accountants and chartered secretaries to work for it as partners, relying on Section 45 of the Copyright Act which prescribes that the supervising minister can prescribe regulations for purposes of the Act”.
The senior lecturer opined that copyright registration should not be optional, adding that all educational materials “should be officially copyrighted so that when people want to study, the registered works will be a standard”.
He expressed concern that due to high cost, a lot of foreign books were being pirated and urged NCC to encourage foreign publishers to come and publish the Nigerian edition of their works in the country to reduce costs.
Noting that most authors were only interested in reputation, not really in wealth creation, he admonished NCC to introduce the ‘most economically viable copyright award’ to boost creative enterprise for national wealth creation.
Dr. Ishola who commended the NCC efforts at implementation of its mandates, canvassed for religious and cultural support for copyright, and underscored the need for awareness that Islamic law supports copyright through adoption of ‘waqf’ endowment for exploitation of religious works and creation of employment opportunities.
Chairman on the occasion, Prof. Olu Obafemi, represented by Prof. Abubakar Abdullahi, both of the Department of English, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), in his remarks, emphasised that in order to change the copyright narrative for wealth creation in Nigeria, the scourge of piracy must be tamed.
Prof. Obafemi expressed concern that the copyright industry was not being adequately funded and decried the attitude of Nigerians in patronising cheap pirated works without minding the loss to copyright owners.
He noted that unduly long litigation constituted a drawback to the fight against piracy, adding that lack of incentive in the creative industry was a discouragement to creative enterprise in the country.
Mr. John O. Asein, Director-General of NCC, while appreciating the support of stakeholders in the State, reassured of the Commission’s partnership with the Kwara State Government and key players in the creative industry to enable a vibrant exploitation of the rich cultural endowments of the state, especially in the creative arts.
Mr. Vincent A. Oyefeso, Represented by the Director of Public Affairs, the Director-General stated: “Today, we are in the global era of knowledge economy and Kwara State can leverage on the copyright system to grow its state economy on a sustainable basis as well as contribute to the national economy. In this wise, NCC is committed to continue to partner with the State Government to attain its development goals, especially in the creative sector.”
He added: “The Commission is also committed to enhanced collaboration with all authors and stakeholders in the copyright based industry to change the copyright narrative for sustained and sustainable wealth creation and national development.”
In an earlier guest lecture, a Senior Lecturer in Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, Dr. Kayode Adam, had noted that the current copyright narrative was inherited or borrowed from the British legal system, adding that Nigeria’s copyright policies should be based on its fundamental national values.
Commending the NCC for identifying the need for a new national copyright narrative, Dr. Adam stated that a new copyright narrative would serve three purposes, namely guide the adoption of a national copyright policy; assist judges in correct interpretation of our copyright law; help in creating awareness on Nigeria’s copyright values and law.
Honourable Awodiji Tayo Felix, Chairman of Kwara State House Committee on Land, Housing and Urban Development, in a goodwill message, assured that the State House of Assembly would support the Commission’s bid to review the Copyright Act in the interestof right owners and for sustainable development of the copyright industries and the economy.
Mr. Justina Akinwumi, NCC State Coordinator, in her welcome address, stated that the NCC 30th Anniversary celebration was an opportunity for the Commission and all stakeholders “to come together to assess and analyse the journey so far and chart a way forward for economic development through creativity”.
Union Bank of Nigeria has secured certification under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) version 4.0.1, a global standard for protecting payment card data.
The certification took effect on August 11, 2026, confirming that the bank’s systems for storing, processing and transmitting customers’ credit and debit card information meet stringent international security requirements.
PCI DSS certification is designed to reduce the risk of payment card data breaches and financial fraud while strengthening customer confidence in electronic payment systems.
The assessment covered key areas of Union Bank’s operations, including network infrastructure, card issuance, ATM and POS transactions, payment processing, reconciliation, settlement, chargebacks, dispute resolution and retail banking.
Union Bank was assessed and certified under the Service Provider category.
The certification process lasted a full year and involved quarterly assessments, with support from departmental, business and functional heads across the bank. Digital security firm Digital Encode supported the process, while the final independent audit was conducted by CyberCube, an accredited Qualified Security Assessor.
Yetunde B. Oni, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank, said the certification demonstrates the bank’s commitment to protecting customer information.
“The security of our customers’ information is central to everything we do at Union Bank. This certification reaffirms that our payment systems and processes meet a rigorous global standard, and it reflects the discipline of colleagues across the Bank who work every day to keep customer data safe.”
The renewal also ensures that Union Bank maintains continuous PCI DSS certification, in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s requirement for banks to sustain compliance without interruption.
New data from CFA Society Nigeria is reshaping how the country’s financial sector thinks about talent development, with Access emerging as the single largest source of CFA candidates in Nigeria, distinction industry watchers say signals a deeper shift in how leading institutions are building investment expertise from within.
In its Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work series, published in a national daily, CFA Society Nigeria placed Access first among employers of CFA candidates nationwide, with 82 candidates enrolled in the programme, more than double the 38 recorded at the next-placed institution and well ahead of every other bank or financial services firm on the list.
Access also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders, with 11 professionals who have completed all three levels of the Programme and met its experience and ethics requirements.
For an industry that has long measured itself by balance sheet size and branch count, the rankings point to a different kind of competition: one over who is building the deepest bench of certified, globally credentialed talent.
CFA Society Nigeria compiled the data from its Salesforce Membership Database as at June 2026, and described the exercise as a way of recognising employers whose people “bring rigour, integrity and global best practices into the workplace every day.”
Analysts following the sector say the outcome is notable less for the ranking itself than for what it suggests about talent strategy across Africa’s financial services industry. A single institution developing more aspiring charterholders than the rest of the market combined raises the floor for professional standards nationally, not just within one balance sheet.
Every candidate who advances through the CFA Programme adds to a shared pool of ethics-trained, analytically rigorous professionals that Nigeria’s capital markets, pension funds and asset managers all eventually draw from.
Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer Innocent C. Ike, commenting on the rankings, framed the achievement in terms of institution-building rather than recruitment: “Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure.”
The remark echoes a broader thesis increasingly voiced by market observers, that talent depth, not scale alone, is what will determine which African financial institutions earn lasting global credibility.
That distinction sits at the centre of Access’s stated ambition to become the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group. If the CFA numbers are any indication, the Group’s route to that goal runs less through square metres of branch network and more through the calibre of the people sitting inside it, a bet that Nigeria’s finance professionals, and the institutions that will one day hire them, are already placing alongside Access.
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across domestic and international airport terminals to tackle the growing problem of delayed, misrouted and missing luggages
Michael Achimugu, director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, disclosed this at a stakeholder engagement forum in Lagos.
Achimugu said the RFID-enabled system would replace the traditional barcode-based baggage tracking framework and provide airlines and passengers with real-time visibility of checked luggage from check-in to final collection.
According to him, the technology would improve baggage traceability, reduce mishandling and strengthen accountability across the baggage-handling chain.
Unlike conventional barcode systems, RFID technology allows baggage to be automatically scanned at multiple points without requiring direct line of sight, enabling real-time tracking of luggage throughout its journey.
Achimugu said issues involving short-landed, missing, lost or damaged baggage had remained among the major complaints from air travellers, alongside flight delays.
He said the introduction of RFID technology was therefore aimed at improving baggage-handling standards and restoring passenger confidence in the aviation sector.
The NCAA said the initiative also aligns with IATA Resolution 753, which requires airlines to track baggage at key points during the passenger journey.
The authority expects the technology to provide more accurate information on the location of luggage, facilitate quicker resolution of baggage-related complaints and improve the overall passenger experience.
The NCAA said the initiative would also strengthen accountability among airlines and other stakeholders involved in baggage handling at Nigerian airports.
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