President Muhammadu Buhari Signs Copyright, Medical Laboratory College Bills

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Copyright and the Federal College and Medical Laboratory and Technology, Jos bills.

The senior special assistant to the president of National Assembly (NASS) Matters (House of Representatives), Nasiru Baballe Ila, in a statement said the bills passed recently by NASS are geared towards protecting the rights of authors and strengthening the medical laboratory institute.

He said the enactment of the new Copyright Act “has again demonstrated the commitment of this administration to re-energizing Nigeria’s creative economy and making it more globally competitive in the digital age.”

According to him,  “The principal objectives of the new law, as outlined in section 1 are to: protect the rights of authors and ensure just rewards and recognition for their intellectual efforts; provide appropriate limitations and exceptions to guarantee access to creative works; facilitate Nigeria’s compliance with obligations arising from relevant international copyright treaties and conventions; and enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for effective regulation, administration, and enforcement.

“The new Copyright Act expands the rights of authors, raises the sanctions for criminal infringements and more adequately addresses the challenges posed by digital and online use of copyright works. The Act also provides specially for the needs blind, visually impaired and print disabled persons to have access to learning and reading materials in accessible formats.”

Similarly, Ila said the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Jos, Act, 2023, which repealed the earlier act, seeks to “the institution more effective in the discharge of its functions by strengthening the organisational framework.”