NIGERIA'S COPYRIGHT REGIMES AND THE CHALLENGES OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN A GLOBAL AGE

Abstract

Copyright constitutes one of the legal issues that make up the trinity of intellectual property and is aimed at protecting both the economic and moral rights of author and publishers. Nigeria has had a long chequered history in her copyright regimes. Copyright administration and protection in Nigeria are governed by the Copyright Act (CAP 68, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 199O) as amended. The law, while by no means perfect, provides a solid basis for enforcing copyright and checking piratical activities in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the challenges facing Nigeria's copyright regimes have been so overwhelming that they affect information resources management in Nigeria. This paper examines this thorny legal issue from various perspectives. It discusses both the literal and judicial interpretations of copyright, grounds for copyright protection, exclusive right to control copyright in Nigeria, Nigeria's copyright regimes, the hallowed necessity for copyright protection as well as distils the challenges of information resources management vis-a-vis copyright administration in Nigeria. Recommendations are made towards better copyright administration.