LEVY TO BE PAID ON MOBILE PHONE AND COMPUTER

If there is one thing Nigerians are crazy for right now it is gadgets and not just any kind of gadget but I.C.T gadgets like Phones, Computers, and Pads e.t.c. I would say it’s been a very large and good development knowing that Nigerians are also trying to stay up to date with the latest I.C.T gadgets around the world, as a matter of fact Nigeria has now become a profitable market for brands that provide such gadgets but while I was surfing the internet, I came across something that might affect we Phone and computer lovers so I decided to share it with you.

The Director-General, National Copyright Commission, Mr. Afam Ezekude said that a 2% levy will soon be paid on mobile phones, computers, scanners, photocopiers and any other similar product. Mr. Afam who spoke at the 2015 World Book and Copyright Day in Abuja said that “the order for the levy had been put into a gazette, adding that the only thing that remained was a nod for its implementation from the Minister of Finance”

He also said that “The levy order is applicable to all imported or locally produced materials used or capable of being used to infringe copyright in a work both imported and manufactured in the country, and it is designed to compensate the right owners for the envisaged infringement”.

I am guessing with this those that have copy right issue would be happy though this might not be the best way to stop their work from be copy written or pirated but it is a step in a positive direction. My question now is, what about us the users of these gadgets; does this levy affect us directly or indirectly? What do we stand to lose or what do we stand to gain if this order is implemented?  

Well from what Mr. Afam said “Before the levy order was put into a gazette, we actually did relevant consultation with industry people that will be affected by the levy order – the Importers Association of Nigeria and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria”, I guess we can say that this levy might not affect we the users directly but I can definitely say it might affect us indirectly or don’t you agree with me?

From my opinion I think the implication of this is that the prices of these gadgets would take a hike and giving the fact that the dollar is even higher now, I guess once this order is in place we will have to break the bank to buy or even make use of some of these gadgets.

For example let's take the photocopier as a case study, we normally do input professional words for N10 per copy (in some places that's if they are on generator) but once these levy has been put is in place, we are definitely going to pay more. This levy means that the Importers Association of Nigeria and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria will have to pay part of their profit to the National Copyright Commission in other to compensate those that their work are been copy written and as a typical Nigerian business that incurs additional production cost the only way to gain it back is by collecting it from the customer. One bad thing I have noticed about we Nigerians is the fact that at every single opportunity that present itself we like to extort ourselves and from where I stand I am sure the same thing would happen in this case. The funny thing about this is that because we have gone phone and other gadgets crazy, we might not notice the changes when it occurs, we might just feel it’s the market situation that is causing it.

Although, I would say protecting the copy rights owners is a good thing just like the DG said “.......because a lot of these materials such as photocopiers, phones and DVDs can be used for infringing people’s copyright.......... It is important that the order is implemented so that our right owners will get what is actually theirs” but should it be at the cost of we the masses? I know it might not seem like that at the moment but this is Nigeria where any little change at the top gets to affect the man down below. 

EDITED BY TALABI OLAGBEMI