The Federal Government says it has taken steps to amend the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code to discourage the production of Nigerian movies and music
outside the shore of the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this
known on Saturday in Lagos when he paid a visit to the headquarters of the
Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

The Minister decried the situation whereby films, reality TV shows and music,
were made outside Nigeria, for consumption by Nigerians.

He said the situation had hampered empowerment of practitioners in the
industry, the development of the sector and the nation’s economy in general.
“This government has agreed that henceforth, whatever we consume in Nigeria
in terms of music and films, must be made in Nigeria.

“We cannot continue to go to South Africa or any other country to produce our
films and then send them back to be consumed in Nigeria.

“The Broadcasting Code and the Advertising Code are very clear on this.
“For you to classify a product as a Nigerian product, it must have a certain
percentage of Nigerian content,” he said.

The Minister noted that what was happening today was that Nigerian artists
were often flown out of this country to go and make their recordings.
“When they get there, they will patronise the economy of that country and then
bring the products back to Nigeria for us to consume.

“It is like somebody going to China or Japan to make a product that looks like
palm wine and bring it back home to label it Nigerian palm wine”.

He stressed that “as long as we are not able to implement our own code to
ensure local production of Nigerian music and movies, , our young talents will
not get jobs”.

“It is Nigerians that pay for the consumption of these products and therefore
they must be allowed and encouraged to participate in their production.
“I am going to meet with the relevant stakeholders over this, to see that
whatever amendment that is needed to be made to our Broadcasting Code in
this regard, is done urgently, ” he said.

To encourage local production of films and music, the Minister said that Nigeria
Investment Promotion Commission had put forward a proposal to classify the
Creative Industry and grant it a pioneer status.

He said that with the pioneer status, the creative industry would be entitled to
certain incentives and tax holiday.

The Minister said that there would also be waivers for shipment of imported
music and films production equipment.

He stressed that the federal government was committed to making the creative
industry viable, dynamic and sustainable.

Mohammed said that as one of the key areas for diversification of the economy,
the creative industry would be private sector-driven, while government would
create the enabling environment for its growth.

The Minister lauded COSON and its management team for achieving a lot in
seven years of existence.

“I am very proud of COSON because in terms of excellence and competence,
COSON can compete with any known international brand.

“COSON is operating in a tough environment where people believe that
intellectual property of people belong to no one and is meant for the use of all,
without compensation.

“The body has however done a lot in copyright royalty collection and
distribution since its inception in 2010,.” he said.

Earlier, Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji said that the Society was an
umbrella body to fight copyright infringements.

He recalled that for many decades, music was broadcast freely on radio and TV
stations across Nigeria, and dished out in hotels, as if they belonged to no one.
He said COSON was set up to manage the collection and distribution of royalties
arising from the public and commercial use of musical works and sound
recordings


He said COSON was being managed in transparent manner by professionals,
and had distributed over half a billion Naira in royalties since its inception in
2010.

Newsmen report that Okoroji, along with COSON management team, conducted
the Minister and his entourage round the facilities at the headquarters of the
organisation.

In the entourage of the Minister were, the Director Generals of Nigeria Television
Authority, Yakubu Mohammed and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Dr
Mansur Liman.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/fg-stop-production-nigerian-movies-music-abroad/

FG should stop Health treatment abroad first. Abegi

I think its a good one.

Though, It's a misplaced priority frm d govt. regardn alot of pressing issues that need urgnt review in d country for nw.

Buhari government always doing mumu things

Before them stop ham. Abeg watch this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4jrXW2AoCE

The Federal Government says it has taken steps to amend the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to discourage the production of Nigerian movies and music outside the shore of the country.

Can the federal government start by discouraging the treatment and recuperation of Nigerian President outside the shore of the country?

Lai Mohamed is goofing here again as usual.
The best the FG should have done is to look into the reasons why our movie, music and reality TV show producers are making their production outside Nigeria and provide solutions to the reasons. Instead of this needless code amendment.

If the solutions are provided, no one would need coercing the producers to make their production here in Nigeria, if they tried weighing the cost of production outside the shore and it is more expensive and less profitable to them.

We have to understand these producers are business men who have to give out their best to make the maximum profit.