The World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, Nigeria Office, in cooperation with the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC will tomorrow Tuesday April 28 hold a National Workshop (Webinar) as the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances officially enters into force.
The workshop themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Creative Sector through Improved Rights for Artists and Performers” will involve a panel discussion featuring policymakers, as well as leading members of Nigeria’s creative sector to explore opportunities and challenges for Nigerian performers through improved rights protection, and general awareness on the significance of the new Treaty to the creative industry in Nigeria.
Issues that will be discussed include an introductory overview of the Beijing Treaty, improving opportunities for Artists through expanded copyright protection: Nigeria and the Beijing Treaty, Key intellectual property opportunities and challenges for Nigerian performers and the Beijing Treaty, and future opportunities for Nigeria’s creative sector.
Recall that the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances was adopted on June 24, 2012, at a diplomatic Conference of member states of WIPO after many years of negotiation. Nigeria participated actively in the negotiation of the treaty and initialed the Constitutive Act of the Treaty at its adoption in Beijing in 2012. On October 4, 2017, Nigeria deposited its instrument of ratification of the Beijing Treaty at the International Bureau of WIPO.
The Treaty aims to deal with the intellectual property rights of performers in audiovisual performances while comprehensively improving the level of protection offered to performers by the international community and promote the development of the audiovisual industry.
With a prolific movie industry rated as the third global largest, and one of the most dynamic entertainment industries, this Treaty bears significant implications for actors and creative performers in Nigeria.