ANA hails Tinubu, NCC over Copyright levy, safety of authors’ rights

The President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, has counseled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the operationalisation of the copyright levy system and different interventions geared toward strengthening Nigeria’s copyright framework and enhancing returns to authors and different creators.

Speaking on the opening ceremony of ANA’s forty fifth International Convention, held on 30 October 2026 on the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Abuja, Akanbi additionally applauded the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), beneath the management of its Director-General, Dr. John Asein, for its position in facilitating the method and advancing the safety and administration of authors’ rights.

The ANA President described the event as an necessary step in direction of making certain that Nigerian writers usually are not solely celebrated for his or her inventive contributions however are additionally adequately rewarded for the use and exploitation of their works.

Dr. Akanbi, who described the Convention’s theme, “Literature, Security and the Place of Nigeria in the World,” as well timed, highlighted ANA’s dedication to institutional growth, the empowerment of established and rising writers by way of workshops and publishing help, and stronger engagement with authorities on nationwide orientation, cultural diplomacy and the inventive financial system.

He noticed that insecurity remained a significant constraint on creativity and the event of the literary sector and referred to as for sustained efforts to enhance safety, tackle prevailing financial challenges and create an enabling setting for writers and different inventive professionals.

Speaking on the Convention, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, referred to as on Nigerian authors to deploy literature as an instrument for addressing nationwide safety challenges, strengthening nationwide unity and selling social cohesion.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs within the Office of the SGF, Mrs. Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, the SGF described writers as custodians of expertise and fact whose works may expose injustice, humanise the experiences of displaced and susceptible individuals, problem stereotypes and assist bridge ethnic and spiritual divides.

He urged writers to advertise accountable citizenship and peaceable coexistence whereas resisting inflammatory narratives and falsehoods able to undermining nationwide cohesion.

The SGF additionally referred to as for sensible measures to increase entry to books, help rising writers and strengthen the Nigerian publishing business as a contributor to employment, cultural growth and nationwide financial progress.

Reassuring Nigerian authors of the Commission’s persevering with dedication to their rights, the Director-General of the NCC, Dr. John Asein, mentioned the Commission would proceed to strengthen the copyright system to make sure that creators obtain due reward for his or her mental and artistic investments.

Asein described writers as being on the basis of a lot of the inventive financial system, noting that literary works regularly present supply materials for movies, theatre, music, broadcasting, animation, promoting and digital content material.

According to him, copyright supplies the authorized and financial mechanisms by way of which creativity was reworked into useful belongings and expertise into sustainable livelihoods, with advantages extending throughout the inventive worth chain.

He described the unlocking of the copyright levy as a further revenue stream for Nigeria’s inventive industries as an affirmation of the current administration’s renewed hope for the sector and a recognition of creativity as each a cultural asset and a driver of financial progress.

On piracy, Dr. Asein assured authors that the Commission would intensify enforcement in each bodily and digital environments and deepen collaboration with authors, publishers, expertise platforms and different stakeholders.

He warned that piracy was not merely the unauthorised replica of works however an assault on authors’ incomes, publishers’ investments, alternatives for rising creators and the contribution of the inventive industries to the nationwide financial system.

“Every pirated book takes something away from the author, the publisher and the creative ecosystem. Protecting copyright is therefore not simply about protecting works; it is about protecting livelihoods, investment and Nigeria’s creative future,” he mentioned.

In recognition of the achievements of the NCC beneath his management, ANA introduced Dr. Asein with its Special Recognition Award for distinguished service to literature, enduring dedication and invaluable contributions to the expansion of Nigerian literature and the inventive business.

The Commission additionally acquired the ANA Award for Excellence in recognition of its excellent efforts in selling and defending the mental property rights of authors in Nigeria.

Delivering the keynote tackle titled; “Literature, National Security and the Place of Nigeria in the World,” the Vice-Chancellor of the Pan African School of Economics, Professor Mahfouz Adedimeji, described literature as an instrument of nationwide consciousness, a repository of collective reminiscence and an necessary useful resource for nationwide safety and worldwide affect.

He advocated larger integration of literature and the humanities into nationwide safety and peacebuilding insurance policies, elevated funding in public and college libraries, revival of the studying tradition, improved institutional help for Nigerian authors and wider worldwide promotion of Nigerian literary works.

Other highlights of the Convention included the presentation of awards to distinguished personalities and organisations, panel discussions, the induction of certified members as ANA Fellows, and the commissioning of tasks on the ANA Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village.

The Convention in a press launch signed by Mary Adegbile, For: Director-General, additionally featured a efficiency of Senator Shehu Sani’s The Village and the Vigilante because the official Convention play.