Nollywood trade associations introduced an automated copyright registry system to protect screenwriter intellectual property and streamline production optioning agreements. The registry is designed to provide a formal mechanism for creators to register their work and establish ownership.
The introduction of the automated registry is a significant step towards protecting intellectual property in Nollywood. The industry has long struggled with unauthorised adaptations and plagiarism. The registry will provide creators with a tool to protect their work. The success of the registry will depend on its adoption by creators and its enforcement.
This echoes the 2022 intellectual property protection efforts in Nollywood, which also sought to address plagiarism. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a recognition that IP protection is essential for the industry’s growth.
The winners: Nollywood screenwriters, who will have greater protection for their work; and the Nigerian film industry, which benefits from better IP protection. The losers: those who have benefited from unauthorised adaptations; and the government, which must support the enforcement of IP rights.
Bottom Line: Nollywood has a copyright registry. Screenwriters can protect their work. The question is whether the system will be used and enforced effectively.