Africa, the Middle East, Other Nations

This page is not legal advice. The law of the country where you live applies to you.

Most of these countries have a software exception on the EU model. Many article numbers below are marked "(not confirmed)".

South Africa

• Studying a program. The Copyright Act 1978 protects computer programs as their own category. It has no decompilation or interoperability exception, and no lock rules (not confirmed).
• Proposed law. The Copyright Amendment Bill would add fair use, software and library exceptions, orphan works and lock rules. In 2026 the Constitutional Court struck down only its education clauses, which Parliament is now reviewing. The Bill was not law in July 2026 (ENSafrica).
• How long copyright lasts. 50 years from release for programs (not confirmed).

Nigeria

The Copyright Act 2022, signed on 17 March 2023, gives users more exceptions than most laws covered (Gazette text).

• Studying a program. Section 20(1) is an open fair dealing clause. Section 20(2) allows copies of a program for use, archiving and repair. Section 20(3) voids any contract term that restricts what the Act permits.
• Locks. Section 50 bans circumvention. Section 50(8) lets a lawful user circumvent to find what is needed for interoperability.
• Libraries and archives. Section 25 lets archives, libraries, museums and galleries copy for preservation. They may also copy works that are out of trade.
• How long copyright lasts. The author's life plus 70 years for literary works, and 50 years from release for audiovisual works.

Kenya

• Studying a program. Section 26A, from 2019, allows copies to fix errors, back up or test a program. It permits decompiling to get the information needed to work with other programs (CIPIT, Strathmore University).
• Locks. Added in 2019. The details are not confirmed.

Egypt

• Studying a program. Art. 171 of Law 82 of 2002 allows a back-up or use copy. There is no decompilation exception and no fair use (not confirmed).
• Locks. Art. 181 makes dealing in tools an offence (not confirmed). Egypt is not a party to the WIPO Copyright Treaty.
• How long copyright lasts. The author's life plus 50 years (not confirmed).

Israel

• Studying a program. The Copyright Act 2007 has an open fair use clause in s.19. Section 24 covers back-ups, maintenance and interoperability information (not confirmed).
• Locks. Israel has no anti-circumvention law (not confirmed).
• Libraries and archives. Section 30 allows preservation copies (not confirmed).
• How long copyright lasts. The author's life plus 70 years (not confirmed).

Turkey

• Studying a program. Art. 38 of Law 5846 follows the EU model, with observing, studying and testing, and decompiling for interoperability (not confirmed) (mevzuat.gov.tr).
• Locks. Art. 72 makes dealing in tools an offence (not confirmed).
• How long copyright lasts. The author's life plus 70 years (not confirmed).

The United Arab Emirates

• Studying a program. Federal Decree-Law 38 of 2021, in force from 2 January 2022, protects "smart applications, computer programmes". It allows a back-up copy. Whether it covers decompiling is not confirmed (Gowling WLG).

Saudi Arabia

• Studying a program. A new Copyright Law came into force on 12 August 2026. It allows lawful users to make back-ups, correct errors, achieve interoperability and test security. Whether it covers decompiling is not stated (Baker McKenzie).
• Locks. The law introduces lock protection. Its regulations are due within 180 days.
• Owners who cannot be found. A state body manages them.

Russia

• Studying a program. Art. 1280 of the Civil Code follows the EU model. It allows adapting a program, back-ups, decompiling for interoperability and studying the running program (not confirmed) (consultant.ru).
• Locks. Art. 1299 bans circumvention and tools (not confirmed).
• Libraries and archives. Art. 1275 allows preservation copies (not confirmed).
• How long copyright lasts. The author's life plus 70 years (not confirmed).
• Availability. Since March 2022 many Western stores have stopped selling games in Russia (PC Gamer). Where a game is no longer sold in Russia, players often have only the copies they already own.

Ukraine

• Studying a program. Art. 25 of the 2022 Law on Copyright and Related Rights allows back-ups, decompiling for interoperability, and observing and studying a program (zakon.rada.gov.ua).
• Locks. Art. 53(3) exempts the free uses, including the software exceptions, from the lock rules.
• Libraries and archives. Art. 24 allows preservation copies.
• How long copyright lasts. The author's life plus 70 years.
• Owners who cannot be found. Art. 29 allows orphan works to be used for preservation.

What this means for a project

Nigeria, Kenya and Ukraine permit study and decompiling for interoperability. The unconfirmed texts of Russia and Turkey permit them too. South Africa, Egypt and the UAE do not expressly permit decompiling. Observing the running game carries the least risk. Most of these countries ban breaking locks.