The Media and Respect for Intellectual Property in Nigeria: Trends, Implications and New Perspectives

This study examines the trends, implications, and new perspectives on the media's role in promoting respect for intellectual property (IP) in Nigeria. Although the media has been recognized as a significant force in influencing public opinion and upholding cultural norms in Nigeria, its influence regarding intellectual property rights has received little attention. Due to a combination of cultural, technological, and economic variables, intellectual property infringement in Nigeria persists despite established legal frameworks. The study utilised regulation theory. Despite the media's limited engagement with intellectual property concerns, the study contends that the media can play a significant role in encouraging respect for IP rights. Further, the study identified the challenges the media face in promoting respect for intellectual property, which include piracy, lack of media's attention to intellectual property concerns, and lack of effective enforcement of intellectual property laws in Nigeria, as well as highlighted the negative effects of disregarding intellectual property rights, which could result to monetary losses, stifled innovation, and revenue losses, amongst others. The study emphasizes the necessity of a more all-encompassing strategy that includes law reform, public education, and strategic media use, amongst others.