Cikamo is committed to protecting intellectual property rights and upholding copyright law. We believe that respecting the creative work of others is fundamental to building a trustworthy, sustainable platform for students, creators, and sellers. This Copyright and DMCA Policy explains how we handle copyright infringement claims, what rights you have as a content owner, what your responsibilities are as a user, and how we enforce these rules.

This policy applies to all content uploaded, posted, sold, or shared on the Cikamo platform at https://cikamo.com. It should be read alongside our Terms and Conditions, Community Guidelines, and Privacy Policy.

1. What Copyright Protects

Copyright is a form of intellectual property law that automatically protects original creative works from the moment they are created and fixed in a tangible form. Copyright protection does not require registration, though registration may provide additional legal benefits in some jurisdictions.

Works protected by copyright include, but are not limited to:

• Literary works, including books, articles, essays, lecture notes, and written study materials;
• Musical compositions and sound recordings;
• Artistic works, including drawings, photographs, graphic designs, and illustrations;
• Films, videos, and audiovisual content;
• Software code, applications, and scripts;
• Architectural works and plans;
• Dramatic works and choreography.

Copyright gives the owner the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, display, perform, and create derivative works from the original work. Using copyrighted material without the permission of the rights holder — unless a legal exception such as fair use applies — constitutes copyright infringement, which can result in civil and criminal liability.

2. User Obligations

By using the Cikamo Platform, you agree that you will not upload, post, sell, or otherwise distribute content that infringes the copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights of any third party. Specifically, you represent and warrant that:

• You are the original creator of all content you upload, or you hold a valid licence or written permission from the copyright owner to use and distribute that content on Cikamo;
• You will not upload, sell, or share pirated books, cracked software, ripped music, downloaded films, or any other content obtained through infringement;
• You will not reproduce or redistribute textbooks, academic journals, course materials, or other published works without proper authorisation from the rights holder;
• You will credit sources appropriately when referencing, quoting, or building upon another person’s work;
• You will not use Cikamo to facilitate or enable copyright infringement by others, including by providing links to infringing content hosted elsewhere.

Failure to comply with these obligations may result in content removal, account suspension, or permanent termination, in addition to potential legal liability.

3. Reporting Copyright Infringement

If you are a copyright owner or an authorised representative of a copyright owner and you believe that content on the Cikamo Platform infringes your copyright, you may submit a formal infringement notice. Cikamo will review all valid notices and take appropriate action, including removing or disabling access to the infringing content.

3.1 What Your Notice Must Include

To be considered valid under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and applicable Nigerian copyright law, your written notice must include all of the following:

1. Identification of the copyrighted work: Clearly describe the original work you claim has been infringed. Include the title, author or creator, date of creation, and, where applicable, registration details or a link to where the original work can be found.
2. Identification of the infringing material: Specify the exact location of the infringing content on the Cikamo Platform, including the full URL of the post, listing, or profile page where the infringing material appears.
3. Your contact information: Provide your full legal name, email address, postal address, and telephone number so that we can contact you regarding your claim.
4. Statement of good faith belief: Include a statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or applicable law.
5. Statement of accuracy: Include a statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or are authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
6. Signature: Your physical or electronic signature (typing your full name is acceptable as an electronic signature).

4. DMCA Notice Procedures

Cikamo follows the notice-and-takedown procedures established by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of the United States, which serve as an internationally recognised standard for handling online copyright complaints, in addition to complying with the Nigerian Copyright Act and any amendments thereto.

4.1 Who May File a Notice

Only the copyright owner or an agent formally authorised in writing to act on behalf of the copyright owner may submit a valid infringement notice. Notices submitted by parties who are not the rights holder or their authorised representative will not be processed.

4.2 Resellers and Redistributors

Users who resell or redistribute content originally created by another person must either:

• Credit the original author clearly and visibly in the listing or post; or
• Hold a valid written licence or documented permission from the original copyright owner authorising redistribution.

Redistribution of content without attribution or a valid licence will be treated as infringement under this policy, regardless of whether the content is sold at a price or offered for free.

4.3 Processing Timeline

Upon receipt of a complete and valid DMCA notice, Cikamo will:

• Acknowledge receipt of the notice within 5 business days;
• Review the notice to verify it meets the required elements;
• Remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content promptly where the notice is found to be valid;
• Notify the user who posted the content that it has been removed and provide them with a copy of the notice (with your contact details redacted where permitted);
• Inform the uploader of their right to submit a counter-notice (see Section 8).

5. How to Submit a Report

There are two ways to report copyright infringement on Cikamo:

5.1 Via the Platform (In-App Report)

• Locate the post, listing, or profile containing the allegedly infringing content;
• Tap or click the three-dot menu icon (⋮) on the post;
• Select “Report” from the menu options;
• Choose “Copyright / DMCA” as the reason;
• Provide a description of the infringement and submit your report.

In-app reports are reviewed by our moderation team and are best suited for straightforward cases where the infringing content is clearly identifiable on the Platform.

5.2 Via the DMCA Form (Formal Notice)

For formal DMCA notices — particularly where you intend to pursue legal action or require a documented record of your claim — please complete our official DMCA Notice Form and submit it by email to [email protected] with the subject line “DMCA Notice.”

6. Consequences of Infringement

Cikamo takes copyright infringement seriously. Where a valid infringement notice is received and the content is found to violate this policy, we will take enforcement action proportionate to the nature and severity of the violation.

Cikamo may also provide information about infringers to rights holders or law enforcement where required by law or where we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent ongoing harm.

7. Repeat Infringer Policy

In accordance with the requirements of the DMCA and as a matter of platform policy, Cikamo maintains a strict repeat infringer policy. An account will be considered a repeat infringer where:

• Two or more valid DMCA notices have been received and upheld in relation to content posted by the same account within any rolling 12-month period; or
• A single violation is of sufficient severity — for example, where the account was created primarily or exclusively to upload and distribute infringing content.

Repeat infringer accounts will be permanently terminated without the option to appeal or re-register on the Platform. Any outstanding earnings balance associated with a terminated repeat infringer account may be withheld pending resolution of any outstanding claims from rights holders.

Each case is assessed individually. Cikamo considers the severity of each violation, whether it was deliberate or accidental, whether the infringer responded constructively to prior notices, and any other relevant circumstances.

8. Counter-Notice Procedure

If you believe that content you posted was removed from Cikamo as a result of a mistake or misidentification — for example, if you have a licence to use the content, if the content is in the public domain, or if you believe your use qualifies as fair use — you may submit a counter-notice.

8.1 What Your Counter-Notice Must Include

To be valid, your counter-notice must include:

• Your full legal name, email address, and postal address;
• Identification of the content that was removed and the URL where it previously appeared;
• A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that you have a good faith belief that the content was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification;
• A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the courts in your country and, for DMCA purposes, the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if outside the US, that you will accept service of process from the original complainant);
• Your physical or electronic signature.

8.2 What Happens After You Submit a Counter-Notice

Upon receiving a valid counter-notice, Cikamo will:

• Forward a copy of your counter-notice to the original complainant;
• Inform the complainant that the removed content will be restored within 10–14 business days unless the complainant notifies us that they have filed a court action to prevent reinstatement;
• Restore the removed content if no such court action is received within the stated period.

9. Fair Use

Cikamo acknowledges that not all use of copyrighted material constitutes infringement. Copyright law in many jurisdictions — including the United States (under the DMCA framework) and Nigeria (under the Copyright Act) — provides for certain exceptions and limitations, commonly known as “fair use” or “fair dealing.”

9.1 What Fair Use Permits

Fair use is a context-specific legal doctrine that may permit limited use of copyrighted material without the rights holder’s permission in certain circumstances, including:

• Commentary, criticism, or review of the original work (for example, quoting a passage to analyse it);
• News reporting and journalism;
• Teaching, scholarship, and educational purposes;
• Parody or satire;
• Research and private study.

9.2 How Fair Use is Assessed

Whether a particular use qualifies as fair use is determined on a case-by-case basis and depends on several factors, including:

• The purpose and character of the use (commercial vs. non-commercial; transformative vs. reproductive);
• The nature of the copyrighted work;
• The amount and proportion of the work used relative to the whole;
• The effect of the use on the market for or value of the original work.

10. Seller Responsibilities

Users who sell digital or physical goods on the Cikamo Marketplace bear full responsibility for ensuring that their listings comply with copyright law and this policy. By listing a product on the Marketplace, you represent and warrant that:

10.1 Digital Goods

• You are the original creator of the digital content you are selling, or you hold a valid, documented licence from the copyright owner that expressly permits you to sell or redistribute the content;
• You have not obtained the content through downloading, ripping, cracking, or any other form of infringement;
• You will not list the same digital product on Cikamo that another seller has clearly identified as their original work without their permission;
• Your listing accurately describes the content and does not misrepresent the origin, authorship, or licensing terms of the product.

10.2 Physical Goods

• You own the physical item you are selling, or you are authorised to sell it on behalf of the owner;
• The physical item does not constitute a counterfeit or unauthorised reproduction of a copyrighted or trademarked product;
• You comply with all applicable copyright, trademark, and consumer protection laws in connection with your Marketplace activity.

10.3 Cikamo’s Liability Disclaimer

Cikamo acts solely as a facilitator of Marketplace transactions. We are not a party to transactions between buyers and sellers, and we expressly disclaim any liability for copyright or intellectual property infringement arising from goods or services offered by independent sellers on the Platform. Rights holders who believe a seller on Cikamo is infringing their rights are encouraged to submit a DMCA notice using the procedure described in Section 5.

11. Free Content and Attribution

Content that is offered for free on the Cikamo Platform is not exempt from copyright protection. Copyright law applies equally to free and paid content. Users who upload free content must still ensure they have the right to share it.

Specifically:

• Free content that is not the uploader’s original work must include clear attribution to the original creator;
• Free content taken from the public domain must be genuinely in the public domain in the relevant jurisdiction — works entering the public domain in one country may still be protected in another;
• Free content licensed under Creative Commons or similar open licences must be shared in compliance with the terms of that licence (for example, some Creative Commons licences prohibit commercial use or require share-alike conditions);
• Free files lacking proper attribution to the original author may be flagged and removed pending clarification from the uploader.

12. Disclaimer

Cikamo is a platform that hosts user-generated content. We do not proactively monitor all content uploaded by users for potential copyright infringement, and we are not in a position to verify the ownership or licensing status of every piece of content posted on the Platform.

However, Cikamo will respond promptly and in good faith to all valid DMCA notices and copyright complaints received in accordance with this policy. We are committed to removing infringing content swiftly upon receipt of a valid notice.

Cikamo is not liable for:

• Copyright infringement committed by users of the Platform;
• The accuracy, completeness, or legality of content uploaded by third parties;
• Any loss or damage suffered by rights holders as a result of infringing content before a valid DMCA notice is received and acted upon.

Our liability is limited to the extent provided by applicable law, including the safe harbour provisions of the DMCA for online service providers that comply with its notice-and-takedown requirements.

13. Updates to This Policy

Cikamo may revise this Copyright and DMCA Policy from time to time to reflect changes in applicable law, platform features, or our internal procedures. We will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page when changes are made.

Where changes are material, we will notify registered users via email or through a notice on the Platform. However, we encourage all users to review this Policy periodically, as changes take effect immediately upon posting unless otherwise stated. Your continued use of the Platform following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Copyright and DMCA Policy, wish to report an infringement, or need assistance with the counter-notice process, please contact us through any of the following channels: