NCC warns booksellers against sale of fake, pirated books
By Boye Oyeyemi
The Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) has warned publishers and booksellers against dealing in pirated books, saying the practice undermines authors’ livelihoods and threatens the nation’s creative economy.
The Director-General of the NCC, Dr John Asein, gave the warning on Wednesday in Akure during a sensitisation programme for booksellers and publishers from Ondo and Ekiti states on copyright laws.
Asein, who was represented by the Oyo State Commandant of the commission, Mrs Oluropo Oke, urged booksellers to comply with copyright regulations and ensure that only genuine publications were sold in their outlets.
He said piracy not only infringed on intellectual property rights but also encouraged the production and circulation of substandard books, thereby depriving authors and publishers of legitimate income.
“If you sell pirated books, you are killing the economy and encouraging the production of substandard books. You are also discouraging authors because the benefits meant for them are diverted through illegal channels,” Asein said.
Furthermore, the NCC director-general warned that buying, selling, distributing, importing and storing pirated books were offences punishable under the law, adding that offenders could have the books seized and face prosecution.
He advised booksellers to source publications only from legitimate publishers, authorised distributors and reputable suppliers, while assuring them that the commission was available to provide guidance and advisory services on copyright compliance.
Meanwhile, the President of the Ondo State Booksellers Association, Mr Idowu Olumuyiwa, thanked the NCC for the sensitisation, saying it would help members identify genuine publications and avoid unknowingly engaging in piracy, adding that many booksellers became involved in the practice without adequate knowledge of the law.
