Country Report for Nigeria for CI Regional Meeting on A2K, Kenya National President, Consumer Awareness Organisation, Enugu, Nigeria. 17 April 2009

Summary of Issues of Concern to Consumers Legal restrictions on the use of copyright materials High cost of both local and imported copyright works Long duration of protection: 50 – 70 years after the death of the copyright owner Communications tools such as computers, blue tooth, bookmarks etc unaffordable

Issues of concern to copyright owners High cost of production and the need to recoup expenses Section 43 of the Constitution guarantees right to property Other property rights are protected, so why not intellectual property?

Commercial versus private use Commercial use is prohibited Private use is allowed with acknowledgement Use for educational or research purposes exempted from the offence of infringement

Intellectual Property Regime in Nigeria Copyright Act 1988 (Estab. of the Nig Copyright Comm.) Patents and Designs Act Trade Marks Act Multilateral Conventions Universal Copyright Convention WIPO Convention Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) within the Framework of GATT Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Convention)

Laws that give operators right to collect personal data National Identity Management Commission Act 2007 Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation Act Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2002 Money Laundering (Prohibition Act

Privacy and Data Protection Laws The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Official Secrets Act National Identity Management Commission Act Statistics Act Evidence Act

Access to government information Official Secrets Act Oaths Act Note: The Freedom of Information Bill now before he National Assembly has witnessed heated debates

Access to Telephone Access to telephone is very high Mobile phone – very popular Nigeria’s mobile subscriber base – million as at the end of million net additions on quarterly basis Mobile phones relatively affordable

Access to Internet Limited access Rural and most semi-urban areas not covered Not affordable to the average consumer Private ownership highly unaffordable

Access to media a. Local media Relatively accessible Many families can afford a radio or TV set News papers and magazines are rather unaffordable b. Foreign media CNN, BBC, Discovery etc are by monthly subscription which is highly exorbitant.

Reasons for joining CI’s Global Consumer Dialogue on A2K To learn more about A2K issues through information sharing To develop zeal to monitor IP trends in Nigeria To gain knowledge to lobby and participate in IP issues

What Nigerian consumers expect from the project Awareness creation Access to information Less restrictions on the use of copyright material

Proposed Contributions to Activities Participation in online dialogue Participation in regional meetings Survey of copyright issues in Nigeria Awareness creation via media programmes and workshops Circulation of outcomes of regional meetings and other A2K events among consumer NGOs in Nigeria

How CI can help Representation at NGO A2K events e.g. workshops Preparation and dissemination of A2K Kit Financial Assistance to execute major A2K activities

Dr. Felicia N. Monye National President, Consumer Awareness Organisation Enugu, Nigeria Web site: consumerawareness-ng.org