Legal Impact of the Advancement of Digital Technology on Copyright Protection in Nigeria

Abstract

The revolution in digital technology has been witnessed in every sphere of human endeavour but
mostly felt in information and communication technology where it has transformed the landscape
of business. Digitalization which would have been in the interest of copyrighted works has turned
out to be a cog in the wheel of progress where intellectual property protection is concerned.
Digitalization has muddled the water considering the extent it has been aiding and abating
intellectual crimes. To address the rising need for copyright protection in Nigeria, series of laws
have been made and many international treaties ratified in a bid to checkmate the exploitation and
use of copyrighted materials without permission or acknowledgement. Using doctrinal research
methodology, this paper examined the legal impact of digital technology on copyright protection
in Nigeria. Primary and secondary sources of data were used. The primary sources include
statutory enactments, case laws and other relevant international treaties. Secondary sources
include textbooks, law journals, periodicals, opinion of writers and information from the internet.
The paper found that while a new and commendable copyright Act has been enacted, the Act is yet
to be reconciled with other existing laws on the subject matter. It has therefore, among others,
recommended that all laws in Nigeria which influences modern technology should be revisited and
amended to complement each other.