Copyright and the Protection of Innovation: The Importance of Intellectual Property Rights in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper analyses the pivotal role of copyright law in safeguarding innovation and driving socio-economic growth in Nigeria. It explores the conceptual relationship between copyright and innovation, critically assesses the domestic legal framework—with a focus on the modernising reforms of the Copyright Act 2022—and situates Nigerian law within its international treaty obligations. While acknowledging the Act's robust provisions and remedies, the study identifies persistent and emerging challenges, including rampant piracy, institutional weaknesses in the Nigerian Copyright Commission, slow judicial processes, and novel threats from digital technologies like AI and NFTs. The paper concludes by proposing targeted recommendations to fortify the copyright system, advocating for enhanced institutional funding, judicial specialisation, comprehensive public awareness campaigns, and deeper international cooperation. These reforms, it argues, are essential for Nigeria to fully harness its creative and economic potential in the digital age.