FACULTY OF LAW

This long essay critically examines the persistent problem of digital piracy within the Nigerian music industry, analyzing the adequacy and effectiveness of the nation's legal framework from a legal and human rights perspective. The central thesis is that
Nigeria’s response to this challenge is characterized by a fundamental paradox: the system is strong in law but profoundly weak in execution. While the Copyright Act 2022 provides a modern, comprehensive arsenal of rights and digital safeguards, its
practical implementation is severely undermined by institutional and procedural failures. The nature and scope of piracy have drastically evolved from physical markets to technologically sophisticated digital methods, including widespread stream-ripping, cyberlockers, and illicit sharing across decentralized social media platforms, a shift the enforcement institutions have failed to match. The unchecked prevalence of piracy results in an estimated annual loss of ₦918 trillion across Nigerian copyright industries, which translates into a direct and severe violation of the economic and human rights of Nigerian creators to benefit from the fruits of their labor. This institutional execution gap is manifested in the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) being operationally overstretched, the Nigerian Police Force deprioritizing intellectual property crime, and Collective Management rganisations (CMOs) being plagued by governance crises and credibility challenges. Furthermore, the framework contains a critical gap regarding the emerging threat of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). A comparative analysis of the US and South African models confirms that the solution does not lie in legislative overhaul but in decisively adopting proven models for procedural efficiency, institutional transparency, and strong judicial deterrence. This research concludes that safeguarding the sustainability and global competitiveness of Nigeria's music sector requires a fundamental shift in priority to bridge the gap between statutory promise and practical reality.

The rising cases of public corruption within the West African Region involving a substantial proportion of the resources of the various States has become a transnational phenomenon that affects most West African societies and economies. It has threatened the political stability and security, weakened public institutions, undermined the rule of law and hindered sustainable development in most West African States. The affected States such as Nigeria, Cameroun, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali and Ivory Coast concerned about the negative effects of corruption and impunity on the economic and social development of the African people, acknowledged the need to address the root causes of corruption in the African continent through preventive measures, the formulation of legislations, penal policies and other non-penal measures aimed at protecting the society against corruption. The African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption is the principal regional instrument in the continent and the West African region designed to combat public corruption through preventive measures that prohibit acts of corruption and corrupt practices. There is need for West African States to adopt measures that prohibit illicit enrichment, promote access to information and transparency in public offices and institutions, prosecution of corrupt public officials and other strategic measures such as confiscation and forfeiture of instruments and proceeds of corrupt practices, extradition in cases of trans-boarder corrupt practices within the territorial jurisdiction of two or more States. The principle of bank secrecy expounded by the International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism & Proliferation (FATF Recommendations) 2012 and the spirit of international cooperation are part of the anti-corruption measures that will be examined in the course of this research. The research shall also examine the benefits and effectiveness of the various penal and non-penal measures employed by West African States in their various jurisdictions in combating corruption with a view to determine the extent to which these measures adopted have been effective in addressing corrupt practices. The research shall then proceed to determine how anti-corruption measures can improve the financial health and economic development in West Africa. The concluding part of this research shall suggest possible ways or make recommendations on how anti-corruption measures can be improved through sincere commitment and adequate enforcement.

This research examines the economic and political importance of women's right of inheritance under Ibibio customary law in Nigeria. The study aims to analyze inheritance practices across four major Nigerian ethnic groups (Ibibio, Efik, Igbo, and Benin), evaluate constitutional and judicial protections for women's inheritance rights, and identify barriers to implementing these
rights. The research employed doctrinal methodology, analyzing primary sources including the 1999 Constitution, Supreme Court decisions, and statutes, alongside secondary sources such as journal articles, textbooks, and reports. Major findings reveal that all four ethnic groups operate under patrilineal inheritance systems that systematically exclude women from property ownership. The Ukeje v Ukeje (2014) Supreme Court decision declared discriminatory customary practices unconstitutional under Section 42 of the Constitution. However, a significant gap exists between legal protections and social practice, particularly in rural communities where traditional authorities prioritize customary norms over statutory law. Economic vulnerability, educational disparities, religious beliefs, and inadequate enforcement mechanisms perpetuate discriminatory practices. The study recommends comprehensive state legislation domesticating the Ukeje judgment, expanded legal aid services for women, public education campaigns, engagement with traditional and religious leaders, judicial capacity building, and sustained monitoring of inheritance practices. True reform requires coordinated action by government, civil society, traditional institutions, and communities to transform
constitutional rights into lived reality for Nigerian women

After the discovery of crude oil in the Niger Delta, its exploration and exploitation has generated substantial revenue and contributed significantly to the nation’s economic development; however, arising from these activities are extensive environmental degradation, social dislocation and economic hardship and marginalization of host communities. Oil spill since the 1970s have posed severe and persistent challenges to sustainable development of the region and also general well- being of its indigenes. This research paper examines the legal, economic, social and environmental impacts/implications of recurrent oil spill incidence in the Niger Delta Region. It analyses the effectiveness of Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework in addressing these challenges, while focusing on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (establishment) Act (NOSDRA), 2006 and other environmental protection laws. This research also acknowledges international legislation and principles, such as polluter pays, precautionary and sustainable development doctrines to evaluate Nigeria’s compliance to global environmental standards. Through a combination of statutory provisions, policy document, scholarly literature and international obligations, this research identifies the gap and deficiencies in enforcement mechanism, regulatory oversight and corporate accountability in the Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. This research further explores the nexus between environmental degradation and human rights, accessing the extent to which affected communities have access to justice and effective remedies under domestic and international law. The findings reveal that despite the existence of a robust legal framework, weak institutional implementation, political interference and inadequate community participation have undermined the realization of environment justice in Nigeria. I concluded this study with the recommendation that Nigerian legal system will need substantial reform to enhance transparency, strengthen enforcement, and promote participatory governance in environmental regulation. I recommended further that Nigeria needs to establish a special environmental court, increase community participation and involvement in decision-making with regards the environment and to domesticate relevant international conventions to ensure oil exploration and production are concluded in a manner consistent with principles of environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative technologies that can create literary, artistic, musical, and audiovisual works with minimal or no human involvement, has posed significant challenges to the fundamental principles of copyright law. Traditional copyright frameworks are based on human creativity, originality, and identifiable authorship. However, the rise of AI-generated content in the digital age or era has muddled these concepts and introduced complex legal dilemmas surrounding copyright validity, authorship attribution, and ownership rights. These issues are increasingly pertinent worldwide and are particularly critical in Nigeria, where the digital innovation landscape is rapidly evolving alongside the implementation of the Copyright Act 2022, which does not explicitly address fully autonomous AI-generated works. This dissertation aims to explore the legal framework governing copyright ownership of AIgenerated content in the digital age, with a distinct emphasis on the Nigerian legal context. The research evaluates whether existing provisions under the Nigerian Copyright Act 2022 sufficiently tackle problems related to authorship, originality, and ownership regarding AI-generated works. The study's objectives include uncovering conceptual and doctrinal deficiencies in the current legal structure, assessing the operational efficacy of copyright protection and enforcement mechanisms, and analyzing the broader legal, socio-economic, and policy implications of creativity driven by AI. Additionally, the research intends to glean insights from international and comparative legal systems to suggest potential strategies for future legal and policy reforms in Nigeria. To meet these aims, the research employs a doctrinal legal methodology that involves a comprehensive analysis of primary legal sources, which include international copyright treaties, regional agreements, national laws, and relevant judicial rulings. It scrutinizes key international agreements like the Berne Convention, the TRIPS Agreement, and the WIPO Internet Treaties to outline the global normative standards for copyright protection, while also critically assessing the Nigerian Copyright Act 2022 as the chief or main domestic legal text. Furthermore, secondary sources such as academic books, peer-reviewed journal articles, policy documents, and reports from international and regional organizations are utilized to provide scholarly and contextual insights on the matter. The study additionally adopts a comparative legal perspective by looking at how various jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and certain Asian and African nations, have tackled the copyright challenges associated with AI-generated content. This comparative examination facilitates an assessment of the diverse legal responses to authorship and ownership of AI-generated works and helps identify best practices that could be relevant to Nigeria. An analytical and evaluative method is employed to assess the sufficiency of the current legal and institutional frameworks, particularly in relation to enforcement issues in the digital landscape. In summary, the dissertation offers a thorough legal analysis of AI-generated content and copyright ownership, concentrating on the effectiveness of current legal frameworks and methodologies. It establishes a groundwork for informed legal reform by identifying critical issues and providing insights aimed at achieving a balanced copyright system that fosters technological innovation while protecting intellectual property rights in the digital age.

The exploration and production of petroleum resources in Nigeria have long generated immense economic wealth but also severe environmental degradation and social dislocation, particularly in oil-producing regions such as the Niger Delta. Despite the existence of multiple legal and regulatory instruments designed to ensure compensation for affected communities, widespread grievances persist over inadequate redress, environmental pollution, and inequitable distribution of oil wealth. This study, therefore, evaluates the effectiveness of the laws governing compensation for oil-producing regions in Nigeria, with
a view to identifying the structural, institutional, and procedural weaknesses that undermine justice and sustainability in the Nigerian oil sector. Adopting a doctrinal and comparative research methodology, the study examines Nigeria’s primary legal
instruments which include including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the Land Use Act 1978, the Oil Pipelines Act, the NOSDRA Act 2006, etc. It analyzes their provisions on compensation, environmental remediation, and community participation. It further compares Nigeria’s compensation framework with those of other oil-producing jurisdictions, namely Norway, Canada, Ghana, Alaska, and South Africa, to extract best practices and policy lessons relevant to Nigeria’s context. This study finds that while Nigeria’s legal framework is elaborate on paper, its effectiveness is hampered by legislative fragmentation, institutional overlap, poor enforcement, and limited community
participation. Compensation mechanisms are often opaque, inconsistently applied, and insufficiently linked to environmental restoration or livelihood recovery. Conversely, the comparative jurisdictions demonstrate that effective compensation depends on clear statutory duties, strong institutional capacity, judicial enforceability, and public transparency. For example, South Africa’s rights-based approach to environmental protection and Norway’s integration of oil revenues into long-term social welfare provide instructive models for reform.
Based on these findings, the study recommends a comprehensive restructuring of Nigeria’s compensation system. It concludes that true compensation extends beyond monetary payment, it encompasses environmental rehabilitation, livelihood restoration, and respect for the human and environmental rights of oil-producing communities. In achieving these reforms, Nigeria can transform its compensation framework from a reactive mechanism of damage control into a proactive instrument of social justice, environmental protection, and sustainable development, setting a continental standard for equitable resource governance.

This study appraises the civil remedies available to owners of copyright works in Nigeria, with a view to evaluating their effectiveness in protecting the rights of creators. Despite the existence of the 2022 Copyright laws in Nigeria. copyright infringement remains a pervasive issue, resulting in significant economic losses for creators and owners of copyright works. The effectiveness of civil remedies in protecting the rights of copyright owners in Nigeria is uncertain, and the extent to which these remedies provide adequate redress for infringementis unclear. The aim of this study is to examine works that are protected by copyright and
inquire whether the remedies provided by the law in protecting the victims are adequate or whether there is need to seek other avenues beyond the ones provided by law to compensate these victims. This study will adopt the doctrinal / analytical research method which will include researching into constitutions, statutes, conventions or treaties and other international agreements, case laws (judicial decisions), journals and books. Relevant laws, regulations and judicial decisions related to Copyright Law in Nigeria will be analyzed. This study underscores the imperative for copyright holders and researchers to pursue remedies for
copyright infringements through civil litigation, thereby invigorating efforts to safeguard intellectual property rights. The findings reveal that while various civil remedies, including damages, injunctions and accounts of profits, are available to copyright owners, their effectiveness is hindered by several challenges, including inadequate enforcement mechanism, lack of awareness, and
corruption. The research contributes to the literature on Copyright Law and civil remedies in Nigeria, and provides insight for policy makers, legal practitioners, and creators seeking to protect their intellectual property rights.

International law plays a crucial role in governing relations between states, addressing issues such as human rights, conflict resolution, trade, and environmental protection. However, its efficacy remains a subject of contention due to significant challenges in implementation and institutional limitations. While international law is designed to promote global order and cooperation, its enforcement is often inconsistent, primarily due to the principle of state sovereignty, which allows nations to selectively comply with legal obligations. This lack of a centralized enforcement mechanism weakens the
authority of international legal norms and limits their effectiveness in resolving global disputes. One of the key challenges of implementation lies in the voluntary nature of compliance. Unlike domestic legal systems, international law lacks a supranational authority capable of enforcing rulings and ensuring uniform adherence. Powerful states often disregard international legal decisions, while weaker states are pressured into compliance, leading to a disparity in enforcement. Additionally, international institutions such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and the International Court of Justice face political interference, funding constraints, and bureaucratic inefficiencies that hinder their ability to uphold international legal standards effectively. Furthermore, the ambiguity and inconsistencies in international legal provisions create challenges in interpretation and application. Conflicts between national legal systems and international obligations further complicate enforcement, as states prioritize domestic laws over international commitments. Moreover, international law has been slow to adapt to emerging global challenges, such as cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and transnational terrorism, limiting its ability to address contemporary issues effectively. This study critically examines these flaws, focusing on mainstream international law rather than specialized areas. It provides a broad overview of the systemic weaknesses affecting the implementation and enforcement of international legal norms. By highlighting these challenges, the study contributes to ongoing discussions on legal reform, institutional restructuring, and the need for stronger mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of international law in the modern world.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to enhance economic integration and intra-African trade by removing barriers to the free movement of people, services, and goods. However, the fact that there are still armed conflicts in various regions of the continent poses a serious threat to the success and achievement of this regional trade regime. This essay examines the impact of armed conflict on regional integration of trade in Africa, focusing on legal and pragmatic inconsistencies between AfCFTA and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) rules. The essay examines how conflicts impact trade corridors, infrastructure, and markets, thereby undermining the objectives of the AfCFTA. It also explores whether and how the legal orders governing trade and war (i.e., the AfCFTA Agreement and IHL treaties such as the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocols of 1977) interact, intersect, or conflict in practice. The essay considers the state and non-state parties' obligations under the law of hostilities, notably on the protection of civilian infrastructure related to trade and humanitarian protection.

The modern tendency of the law is to recognize that children are indeed people. The Children Act 1989 defines a child as a person under the age of eighteen, this is similar with the Child Right Act, 2003. Custody is a concept inclusive of maintenance. Custody, surely concerns the responsibility of the spouse for the child in regard to the child's needs, food, clothing, education or instruction and the like. In Nigeria, child custody legislation is that the welfare of the child should be the first and paramount consideration of the court in child custody disputes. The following legislations govern child custody in Nigeria:
a. The Matrimonial Causes Act, (MCA) 1970
b. The Child's Rights Act, 2003
c. The Infants Law, 1958
The researcher wants to appraise the issues relating to child custody under the following areas:
1. Child Custody before/after divorce
2. Child custody in non-divorce situations; child adoption, fostering and guardianship/ward-ship
3. Socio-cultural perceptions on child custody in Nigeria. The context of divorce/separation of child's parents may arise where there is a breakdown or discord in
the relationship of child's parents which could lead to an action for child custody in court. Fostering involves giving parental care to a child who is not one's natural or legally adopted child Adoption severs the legal relationship between the child and the natural parents or guardians. Child's Rights Act 2003 makes provision tor adoption and this is reflected in the laws of states which have passed similar legislation. Guardianship is provided for in Part IX of Child's Rights Act 2003. A guardian is one who has legal authority and duty to care for another person or property especially because of the other's infancy, incapacity or disability. The researcher also looks at the negative perceptions on child custody in Nigeria and provides criticisms.