Labour movement vital to creative industry development — Nigerian Civil Service Union

Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU), Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Unit, has called for stronger collaboration between organised labour, the Copyright Commission and stakeholders in Nigeria’s creative industry to improve workers’ welfare and protect intellectual property.

The call was made at the 2026 annual seminar of the NCSU NCC Unit held Friday in Abuja, with the theme, “The Labour Movement as a Valuable Tool in the Protection and Promotion of the Creative Industry in Nigeria.”

Welcoming participants, Chairman of the NCC Unit, Comrade Emeka Ngene, said the seminar was timely, given the growing importance of the creative industry to Nigeria’s economic and national development.

Ngene said the programme provided an opportunity to examine the relationship between trade unions, the NCC and the creative sector, while equipping workers with knowledge to support engagements on staff welfare, improved working conditions and collaboration with relevant agencies.

He commended the Director-General of the NCC, Dr. John Asein, for what he described as welfare-oriented initiatives, including allowances already paid to staff and approval of a job-specific allowance expected to take effect from October 2026.

Representing the Director-General, the Deputy Director and Head of Human Resource Management Department, Mr. Sunday Popoola, conveyed Asein’s goodwill to the union and commended the NCC Unit for its responsible and constructive approach to union activities.

Popoola said management remained committed to staff welfare and maintaining an open-door policy for addressing workers’ concerns, but stressed that employee welfare must go hand-in-hand with productivity and effective public service delivery.

He urged staff to maintain professionalism, satisfy stakeholders and recognise the public as the ultimate beneficiary of the Commission’s services. He also disclosed that the Director-General had extended support to the Union Council towards its forthcoming 114th anniversary symposium.

The Assistant General Secretary, Federal Council, NCSU, and resource person at the seminar, Comrade Yildet Bigwan, in his presentation, explained the distinction between workers’ rights and privileges, urging employees to pursue enforceable rights through appropriate labour mechanisms while handling privileges through negotiation, tact and diplomacy.

Bigwan also stressed the importance of clearly defined duties and employment responsibilities, noting that organised labour has a role to play in ensuring compliance with applicable labour standards.

Speaking on the theme of the seminar, he called for stronger community outreach and public education to enable creators, artisans and other workers understand copyright, intellectual property rights and available avenues for protecting and commercialising their works.

He advocated stronger collaboration with creative associations and stakeholders across the music, film, television, entertainment and other creative sectors, noting that a stronger labour movement could contribute to improved working conditions and remuneration, better contractual practices, stronger intellectual property protection and greater access to social protection.

According to him, effective protection and promotion of Nigeria’s creative industry requires more than copyright administration and enforcement, stressing the need for informed workers, responsible employers, strong labour structures, public education and practical mechanisms for protecting creators’ rights.

The seminar identified measures including greater awareness of labour rights, flexible union structures, promotion of written employment contracts, stronger collaboration among unions and creative-sector organisations, social protection for workers in non-standard employment, as well as intellectual property education and enforcement through training and professional development.

The event featured a question-and-answer session, meet-and-greet, entertainment and refreshments, with members of the Union at the NCC headquarters attending physically and others from various state commands participating virtually.