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The Namibian Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) says a new anti-piracy law, aimed at protecting creators’ rights and addressing digital piracy, is set to come into effect by December 2025.
The Namibian Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) says a new anti-piracy law, aimed at protecting creators’ rights and addressing digital piracy, is set to come into effect by December 2025. The legislation will modernise the country’s copyright protections, which have not been updated since 1994, to keep pace with advances in technology and the increasing risks associated with digital content theft.
BIPA is working on several key provisions for this law. Currently, the Bill is under Cabinet review, and expect it to reach Parliament shortly. By December 2025, the country aims to have a modern, effective law that enables creators to commercialise their content securely while holding offenders accountable for engaging in illegal acts under these updated protections, stated BPA’s spokesperson for Intellectual Property Enforcement and Framework, Onesmus Joseph
The revised law will introduce provisions to combat piracy effectively, with measures designed to protect creators and their work. Notably, the legislation will criminalise actions that circumvent technological protections, enabling creators to secure their content in digital formats. Furthermore, the law will impose stricter penalties for individuals and organisations found guilty of piracy, holding offenders accountable for copyright violations. Specifically, the law will include provisions for technology protection measures and criminalise those who attempt to bypass these safeguards designed to protect creators’ content. Additionally, and increasing penalties for individuals found guilty of piracy. As part of its broader strategy, BIPA has also launched mediation centres, offering a streamlined and accessible pathway for creators whose content has been infringed. These centres provide services at no cost, giving artists and content creators an alternative to high-cost civil proceedings.
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BIPA established a mediation centre to provide a minimum standard for resolving intellectual property disputes.
Piracy robs creators of their rightful earnings as well as violates intellectual property rights. This practice not only damages the livelihoods of individual content creators but also threatens the sustainability of the broader creative ecosystem. Piracy is a form of theft that robs our creative communities of their hard-earned work while violating copyright and intellectual property rights.
