Piracy negatively impacting publishing industry in Nigeria – Stakeholders

The Nigerian Publishers Association has decried the poor reading culture in the country, raising concerns over the effect of
piracy of books by unscrupulous elements.

NPA President, Mr Lukman Dauda, who said that piracy is negatively affecting publishers, raised the concerns when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Oyo State council, Ademola Babalola and his executive members on Thursday.

Dauda, flanked by the Executive Secretary of NPA, Mr Emmanuel Abimbola and other members of the association said the menace of piracy is having negative consequences on members of the association.

He appealed to the media to educate Nigerians about reading culture in society.

“Our main responsibility is to protect the publishing industry at the end. We have been doing this by engaging the government and other relevant stakeholders in the sector.

“We engage with all the stakeholders to stamp out copyright. The purpose of the visit is to have a collaboration with the NUJ especially in Oyo State.

“To ensure that we use all those organs to enlighten the public about the hills of piracy of books. Primarily, that is the purpose of the visit.

“The government has put a machinery in place, that is Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC to address that aspect not only books but all intellectual property. The challenge we have is lack of funds”.

Piracy negatively impacting publishing industry in Nigeria – Stakeholders