In 2011, the Business Software Alliance issued a report detailing the contradictory attitudes of global PC users. According to their survey, 71 percent of computer users globally said the supported intellectual property rights, yet 47 percent obtain their software illegally most or all of the time. In Nigeria, the numbers are much higher, with 82 percent of computer users acquiring their software by illegal means most or all of the time. This is despite strong support for intellectual property rights, with 62 percent of Nigerian respondents believing that inventors should be rewarded.
However, one of the biggest factors leading to piracy in Nigeria is a lack of awareness about what exactly constitutes piracy. Many people are essentially ‘accidental pirates’, unclear on the difference between legal and illegal means of obtaining software. Not only does this harm the local economy, but it also exposes those users to the risks of illegal software.
More quotes from The World Intellectual Property Event:
“When people invest time and considerable resources into nurturing an idea or product, only to have their ideas stolen, it breaks down the research and development cycle, resulting less investment into new ideas. Simply put, piracy stifles innovation.” – David Finn, Associate General Counsel, Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting at Microsoft
“Intellectual property is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. Piracy is a global issue that needs to be addressed to ensure software innovation and development.’’ – Mr. Babatunde Adetula, Director, Ibadan Zonal Office, NCC
