The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has taken two significant steps in its fight against intellectual property theft, simultaneously unveiling a fresh corporate identity and destroying a massive haul of pirated books.
A New Symbol for Enforcement and Creativity
At an event in Abuja, the Commission officially presented its new logo, designed to better reflect its mandate. Mrs Ijeoma Egbunike, the Director of Public Affairs, detailed the symbolism behind the design. The logo features a circular badge in green and red with 36 radiating red spikes representing Nigeria's 36 states.
These spikes form a hexagonal police star, a clear nod to the Commission's enforcement powers. The six tallest spikes hold dual meaning: they signify the six major categories of copyright works—literary, musical, artistic, audiovisual, sound recordings, and broadcasts—and also represent the nation's six geopolitical zones.
Mrs Egbunike further explained that the three green-white-green blocks with the "NCC" initials are styled to look like book spines, symbolising the flow of ideas. The inner green circle stands for creativity, while the outer blue circle represents the wealth generated by creative industries. Journalists and media houses were urged to adopt the new logo immediately.
Massive Destruction of Illicit Books
In a related but separate operation, the Commission destroyed pirated books with a total value of N141,550,000 (One Hundred and Forty-One Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). The Director-General, Dr John Asein, disclosed that the books were seized over the past three years from bookshops and markets in Abeokuta, Sango-Otta in Ogun State, and Ibadan.
The destruction was supervised in Ibadan by the Oyo State Coordinator, Mrs Oluropo Oke, on behalf of the DG. Dr Asein emphasised that the books were professionally valued before destruction. He noted that during raids, many booksellers could not provide proof of legitimate purchase for their stock.
"There are several features that differentiate original books from pirated copies, including the binding, colour, grammage and point of purchase," Asein stated, educating the public on how to spot fakes.
Strict Warnings and an Eco-Friendly Approach
The Director-General issued a stern warning, reminding citizens that the Nigerian Copyright Act empowers the NCC to punish piracy and illegal dealing in intellectual property. Offenders face severe penalties, including fines, forfeiture of goods, and other legal sanctions.
Dr Asein highlighted the devastating impact of book piracy, which stifles national economic growth and deprives authors and publishers of their rightful earnings. In a move to be environmentally conscious, the Commission opted to shred the books instead of burning them.
"We are using a shredding machine because it is environmentally friendly. We believe that shredding will ensure the books do not re-enter circulation," he explained. He appealed to booksellers to source their materials from legitimate publishers and representatives, not from street vendors, to avoid such losses.
This twin action underscores the NCC's intensified anti-piracy campaign, which leverages the strengthened Copyright Act of 2022. The Commission's strategy now combines digital enforcement, physical market raids, public awareness drives, and collaboration with other agencies to protect creative works across Nigeria.
