The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has ramped up its nationwide anti-piracy campaign, sealing several printing houses and confiscating large volumes of pirated books in operations across major Nigerian cities, with Ibadan emerging as the latest focus of enforcement efforts.
The operation in Ibadan was carried out on Tuesday, targeting printing and book distribution centres in the Apata, Mokola, and Dugbe areas. The raid was led by the NCC Director-General, Dr. John Asein, represented by the Commission’s Oyo State Coordinator, Mrs. Oluropo Oke.
In a statement following the raid, Dr. Asein reiterated the Commission’s commitment to protecting the intellectual property rights of Nigerian authors, publishers, and other creative professionals. He called on stakeholders in the creative sector to familiarise themselves with their rights under the Copyright Act and actively participate in the fight against piracy.
The inspection is part of our broader effort to strengthen the copyright sector and support the creative economy. We want to ensure that both creators and investors get the full benefits of their works,” Asein said.
During the Ibadan operation, NCC officials sealed several printing establishments and raided multiple bookshops found to be in possession of pirated books and operating without adequate documentation. According to the Director-General, the lack of proper record-keeping by these businesses violates Section 48 of the Nigerian Copyright Act, which mandates printers, booksellers, and publishers to maintain detailed logs of all creative works reproduced or sold.
“This documentation must include the author’s name, the title of the work, date of use or production, quantity handled, and any other prescribed information,” Asein noted. “Failure to comply constitutes an offence punishable by a minimum fine of ₦100,000, a term of imprisonment of at least one year, or both.”
The Ibadan raid adds to a growing list of nationwide high-profile anti-piracy operations carried out by the NCC in recent months.
The Commission launched two major operations in Lagos. In November 2024, NCC operatives stormed bookshops in the Ajegunle area, where pirated books estimated at over ₦20 million were confiscated. Earlier in August, a more extensive crackdown in the Yaba market led to the seizure of pirated materials worth ₦50 million. Five bookshops and three warehouses were shut down during the raid, and several arrests were made.
In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the NCC recovered pirated books valued at approximately ₦23.1 million from major retail outlets during an August 2024 operation. In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a raid in September resulted in the arrest of three bookshop owners and the seizure of pirated materials worth ₦3 million.
One of the Commission’s largest operations took place in April 2024 at the Onne Port in Rivers State. During that operation, three shipping containers holding more than 3,000 cartons of pirated books were intercepted. The seized materials were estimated to be worth around ₦300 million.
These coordinated efforts are part of the NCC’s broader mission to eliminate copyright infringement and protect intellectual property rights across Nigeria.
Dr. Asein emphasized that beyond enforcement, the Commission will continue to engage stakeholders in capacity building, compliance education, and the promotion of a copyright culture that benefits authors and content creators.
“We are determined to create an environment where intellectual property is respected, piracy is curtailed, and creators can thrive,” he concluded.
The Commission has vowed to intensify its inspection programmes across all geopolitical zones, warning that any stakeholder found complicit in piracy, either through negligence or direct involvement will be made to face the full weight of the law.
