The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) has reported the successful receipt of ₦1.21 billion, marking the initial installment of the copyright levy stipulated in Section 89 of the Copyright Act 2022.
In a statement disseminated to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the organization noted that the federal government allocated the levy to facilitate copyright management and support the creative economy at large.
MCSN stands as the only Collective Management Organisation sanctioned by the Nigerian Copyright Commission, tasked with licensing, monitoring, and distributing royalties for musical works and audio recordings across the nation.
The society expressed gratitude towards President Bola Tinubu, Attorney- General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, Nigerian Copyright Commission Director-General John Asein, as well as the Minister of Finance and Accountant-General of the Federation for their essential roles in the release of these funds.
In the context of President Tinubu's renewed hope agenda, MCSN stated, “This payment aligns perfectly with the government's objectives to transform the creative industry into a significant economic sector in Nigeria. This is not merely a political statement; it reflects a tangible economic truth. The copyright levy has been embedded in Nigeria’s copyright laws since 1988 but has only begun implementation now.”
The received funds will be used to support grassroots musicians and rights holders, with the goal of alleviating the financial struggles faced by creators and extending the advantages of copyright beyond major cities.
In response to challenges from industry factions, MCSN highlighted that certain interests have consistently obstructed efforts to develop an efficient copyright system within Nigeria. The society specifically called out the Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative Ltd/Gte (RELPI) for allegedly misrepresenting its role and intentions regarding sound recording rights.
MCSN contested RELPI’s assertion about representing sound recording owners, emphasizing that sound recordings are co-owned by both producers and performers.
“When RELPI claims to speak for sound recording owners, it fails to clearly outline its position and interest in this matter,” they noted, asserting that in various legal jurisdictions, the rights to sound recordings are typically shared equally between producers and performers, each entitled to a 50% share.
Furthermore, MCSN stated that it holds primary ownership interests in sound recordings in Nigeria based on agreements with the Performing Musicians Employers' Association of Nigeria (PMAN), recognized as the legitimate representative of performing musicians and their employers, including producers and record labels.
MCSN reiterated that rights protection varies by country and is determined based on international treaties and conventions. They added that foreign record labels under RELPI should adhere to Nigeria's collective management systems, having associations with collective management organizations (CMOs) in their respective home countries.
The society warned that destabilizing Nigeria's collective management framework could revert the industry to periods of confusion, emphasizing that the Copyright Act 2022 lays the foundational legal groundwork for the collective management of musical works and sound recordings within the country.
Additionally, MCSN plans to concentrate on executing ongoing copyright initiatives while continuing discussions with stakeholders regarding unresolved issues related to rights administration.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!