The Federal Government has urged the relevant stakeholders to ensure the use of digital tools aligns with aligns with legal standards, intellectual property laws, and best practices.
It said this became necessary due to the increasing reliance on digital tools in the country.
Mrs Beatrice Jedy- Agba, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, gave the advice at a Sensitisation Workshop on Legal Use of Engineering and Design Software in Abuja on Thursday.
Jedy- Agba, also the Solicitor-General of the Federation, was represented by Mrs Aramide Elizabeth , an Assistant Director in the ministry.
The event, which was organised by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), in collaboration with Worlds View (Autodesk) focused on crucial use of software applications.
The permanent secretary said, “Today’s digital age would be a key to state that the use of software has become the backbone of innovation, design in Nigeria.
“The increasing reliance on digital tools has become the pressing need to ensure that their use aligns with legal standards, intellectual property laws, and best practices in our nation.
“This workshop offers an opportunity for legal practitioners, engineers, designers, and policy makers to engage constructively on issues pertaining to the ethical and lawful deployment of these essential tools.
“The discussions here will no doubt promote greater awareness, mitigate the risks of software piracy and encourage adherence to licensing regulations, ultimately supporting innovation while upholding the rule of law.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice remains committed to fostering a congenial legal environment that enables technological advancement, while protecting rights and promoting responsible usage of creative and innovative works.”
She said that with the help of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Copyright Act 2022, which was recently reenacted and signed into law in March 2023, aimed to address the use of works in the digital environment among others.
According to her, the new Act has far-reached provisions on the protection of rights, by providing well balanced exceptions and limitations in line with the Nigeria’s treaty obligations.
She said since the enactment of the Act, the Ministry of Justice had made the regulations to enhance the administration and enforcement of rights.
“On behalf of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, I commend the organisers of this workshop for this laudable initiative.
“I urge all participants to engage fully and share ideas that will help shape sound policy and professional practice in the engineering and construction sector.
Also speaking, Mr Abubakar Lawal, Technical Sale Manager at Worlds View (Autodesk), said Autodesk Genuine Licensed Software referred to authentic, legally acquired and properly activated software products purchased directly from Autodesk authorised resellers.
Lawal spoke on the topic titled: “Benefit of Using Genuine Autodesk Software”
According to him, Autodesk Genuine Licensed Software gives users full legal rights and access to Autodesk’s tools, services and support system.
He said the benefits of using genuine autodesk software license subscriptions are legal protection and compliance, full access to features and updates, team collaboration and workflow efficiency.
“Other benefits include support and technical assistance, professional credibility and trust and financial predictability and better ROI.”
In his remarks, Mr Femi Ajala, Head of operation, NCC, urged the creative community to engage in intellectual participation.
According to him, this will aid in sharing knowledge, experiences, as well as finding ways and best possible needs to manage the use of software.
Ajala said the focus should be basically on context and autodesk software in order to tackle the incidence of unauthorised usage.
“The advent of technology has remained the use of software beyond physical boundaries and limits.
“The attraction is the content of such works, which is copyright subsist matter. This, in no doubt has brought various challenges and attendant abuses to the use of software.
“Like films and music, you will agree that the software industry is not equally spared of the incidence of abuse and violence.”
He added that these had been attack by various abusers, stressing the need to check the usage of software as Mozilla has enormous potential as a major player in the creative industry.
“Without being saved, software piracy today precedes a serious threat. It will be of serious consent, not only to the regulator of the industry, but every one of us present here.
“The impact of piracy is real, as the right owners lose expectation cost, jobs are threatened and the initial suffers when the creatives are no more created.
“Many individuals are unable to recoup the return of their digital financial investments, simply because pirates are eating up their investments.
“Many creative companies, such as Worlds View(Autodesk), as well as individual creators, may likely be frustrated out of business if the trend continues,” he added.
