FG pledges better access to books for visually impaired under persons

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to books and educational materials for blind and visually impaired Nigerians through the implementation of the Copyright Act 2023.

Speaking in Abuja at the International White Cane Day celebration, Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), John Asein, said the Commission is developing a framework to implement the Marrakesh Treaty, which allows persons with visual impairments to access published works in accessible formats.

Asein noted that the new Copyright Act provides legal backing for authorised entities to reproduce materials such as textbooks and literature in Braille, audio, or large print formats.

“It is unacceptable that less than one percent of published materials in Nigeria are accessible to the blind. That must change, and we are determined to achieve this through strong policy enforcement and stakeholder collaboration,” he said.

The NCC, according to Asein, is partnering with the Nigerian Association of the Blind (NAB), the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to develop guidelines ensuring publishers and authors comply with the law.

He added that the government will also mandate that a portion of publicly funded educational materials be produced in accessible formats to promote inclusivity in education.