COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT IN NIGERIA VIS-A’-VIS INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT FRAMEWORK: A COMPARATIVE LEGAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

The rapid advancement of digital technology has significantly transformed the creation, dissemination, and consumption of intellectual works across the globe. While these technological developments have enhanced access to information and creative content, they have also intensified the challenge of copyright infringement, particularly within the digital environment where unauthorized reproduction, distribution, and communication of protected works occur with ease. This has raised serious legal and enforcement concerns for both national and international copyright regimes. In Nigeria, despite the existence of statutory provisions aimed at protecting copyright, the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms in the digital age remains a subject of growing concern. The paper analyses the applicable legal and institutional framework governing copyright enforcement at the national, regional, and international levels. Adopting the doctrinal method of legal research, the paper relies on primary and secondary sources of law including statutes, international treaties, judicial decisions, textbooks, journals, and online legal materials. The paper finds that although Nigeria possesses a relatively comprehensive copyright legal framework, enforcement remains weak due to institutional constraints, limited technological capacity, low public awareness, and difficulties associated with cross-border digital infringement. The paper concludes that effective copyright enforcement in the digital age requires stronger institutional collaboration, technological adaptation, harmonization with international standards, and sustained legal reforms. Consequently, the paper recommends improved enforcement strategies, enhanced international cooperation, and increased public enlightenment as essential steps toward strengthening copyright protection in Nigeria within the evolving digital landscape.