Unlocking Nigeria’s youth creative economy through stronger IP laws

Nigeria is brimming with young creative talents such as musicians, filmmakers, designers, writers, and digital innovators shaping culture at home and commanding global attention.

Yet for many of these creators, turning originality into sustainable income remains an uphill climb. Weak enforcement, piracy, and limited awareness of intellectual property rights continue to erode the value of their work.

Strengthening intellectual property laws, and, crucially, making them effective in practice, offers a clear path to changing that reality.

Hassan Bala, managing director at Learn Africa Plc, emphasised that piracy is thriving in Nigeria due to a lack of strong institutions to fight and scotch the menace.

“If the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) had the strength it requires to fight piracy, just like the NDLEA or NAFDAC in the days of Dora Akunyili, it certainly would not have thrived,” he said.

Experts argue that creativity is the engine that drives economic progress in a country; however, with knowledge and creativity comes the responsibility to protect intellectual property.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s creative sector, encompassing media, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, visual arts, tourism, and hospitality, is projected to reach a staggering $15 billion by 2025.

Nigeria’s creative economy is vast and diverse as it houses creatives from different ethnic groups and can be described as ‘the interface between creativity, culture, economics and technology.’

In today’s digital age, where information is easily accessible and widely shared, issues of copyright, plagiarism, and ethical use of information have become more critical than ever.

Emeke Iwerebon, chairman at Learn Africa Plc, said, “The widespread unauthorised distribution and counterfeit copies negatively impact the viability and profitability of legitimate publishers.

“Piracy stifles creativity as there can be no incentive to renew or innovate. Besides, it distorts pricing as pirates do not invest in origination, pay taxes, or royalties, and are not legitimate employers of labour.

And since this criminal enterprise is of an international dimension, and requires security agencies, the Department of Security Services (DSS) or other related agencies should be drafted in to help investigate the international conspirators.”

Experts argue that by protecting ownership and rewarding innovation, a more robust intellectual property framework can help transform creativity from passion into economic power.

“If we have people in the creative industry gaining as much as they ought to, most of them will not go for white-collar jobs. Most people will prefer to be creative writers.

Hence, anything impeding the citizens from getting the maximum returns on their investment should be viewed as sabotage and economic crime,” they emphasised.

Protecting intellectual property can help attract investment, formalise informal sectors, and give young Nigerians the confidence to create, distribute, and monetise their work at scale.

John Asein, the director-general at the Nigerian Copyright Commission, disclosed that the commission is ramping up efforts to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s youth population by turning creativity into a viable source of wealth.

Asein, speaking at the 2026 World Intellectual Property Day in Lagos, said, “With a significant proportion of Nigerians under the age of 30, the country is uniquely positioned to harness the creative and innovative potential of its youth.

“This milestone affirms the central role of intellectual property as a strategic driver of innovation, youth empowerment, and sustainable wealth creation.”

He emphasised that the theme, “IP and Sports: Ready. Set. Innovate”, is both timely and compelling.

“It reflects the growing importance of sports as an economic sector and underscores the role of IP in transforming talent into tangible value.

“It also resonates strongly with Nigeria’s national character, defined by energy, resilience, discipline, and ambition, qualities that are most evident in our youthful population,” he said.

However, he said the ecosystem faces significant challenges. “Piracy, counterfeiting and other forms of intellectual property infringement, particularly the unauthorised streaming of live sports content, continue to undermine legitimate markets, discourage investment and threaten the long-term sustainability of the sector.”

To mitigate these challenges, he said the commission has intensified its enforcement efforts to combat digital piracy and related infringements.

“Leveraging the provisions of the Copyright Act, 2022, the NCC is deploying modern enforcement mechanisms to address illegal streaming, cable piracy, and unauthorised public exhibitions,” he said.

Asein noted that, by embarking on stronger intellectual property protection, Nigeria would not only safeguard ideas but also unlock an entire generation’s potential to drive growth, jobs, and global influence.

Toyosi Alabi, partner in charge of Olaniwun Ajayi LP’s intellectual property practice, believes awareness is essential to curbing piracy.

“I think it’s important for people to be aware that the fact that something is free and readily accessible doesn’t mean that it is right,” she said.

Alabi revealed that NCC has upscaled, “They now have a protective mechanism for monitoring and enforcing and shutting down digital sites that are violating this right by illegal broadcasts.

“They have a monitoring unit specifically for digital infringements, and we’re letting people know that this is there,” she said.

Unlocking Nigeria’s youth creative economy depends not just on talent and innovation, but on a legal framework that recognises, protects, and rewards originality.

Stronger intellectual property laws can serve as the backbone of this transformation, giving young creators the confidence to produce, share, and monetise their work without fear of exploitation.