By Ibukun Emiola
The Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) says it has concluded arrangements with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to have holograms embossed on books to curb piracy.
The President/Chairman-in-Council NPA, Alhaji Lukman Dauda, stated this at a news conference to commemorate the 2025 World Book and Copyright Day in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Dauda stated that the initiative would take off before the end of 2025.
According to him, the hologram would differentiate original copies of books by publishers from pirated ones.
“And the way it’s going to be managed is such that it will be difficult for an unauthorised person to have access to such a hologram.
“So anywhere anybody goes to buy any book, he can easily identify whether it’s genuine or pirated because if the hologram is not there, you should know that it is not the genuine one,” Dauda said.
On the sub-theme of the event, “Access to Knowledge: Balancing Book Availability and Copyright”, Dauda underscored the need for access to information and educational resources in different forms for personal, societal and economic development.
“Books, in their different forms -digital or physical- are purveyors of knowledge and allow us to learn and to keep ourselves informed.
“Books are also instructive, entertaining and help us understand the world at large.
“It is therefore essential for everyone to have access to knowledge through unrestricted access to books.
“The rise of initial platforms and online libraries has greatly improved access, allowing us to obtain resources without the constraints of geography or financial constraints.
“Making books available for accessibility is a collective effort of all in the book ecosystem.
“This involves the authors, the publishers, distributors/booksellers, and the libraries, in a bid to ensure unhindered access to knowledge, publishers in Nigeria,” Dauda said.
He called on the government to implement the recently enacted copyright law adequately to ensure that penalties are imposed on perpetrators of piracy.
The NPA president also called for adequate funding of NCC for it to tackle the issue of piracy to a logical end.
He also called for a public private partnership initiative to resuscitate moribund paper mills and other industries producing raw materials for the publishing industry.
This, according to him, will reduce the cost of raw materials purchase and price of printing papers.
“Concerted efforts should be made to ensure continuous sensitisation of the citizens to the ills of patronising pirated books and other instructional materials, particularly on the country’s economy.
“Libraries in various locations -be it in school or in public places- should be well equipped with physical or digital books to enhance accessibility.
“Government should create an enabling environment to attract more investors into paper production.
“This is capable of providing the needed ingredient for core raw material availability and its multiplier effect of cheaper books due to lower production cost.
“Also, for the umpteenth time, we call on the government to remove import duties on other printing materials imported for the purpose of book production.
“Alternatively, the duties on such should be reduced to the barest minimum,” Dauda said. (NAN)
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