The Nigerian Copyright Commission is advocating for increased adherence to intellectual property rights within Nigeria’s music sector, aiming to combat the escalating issue of digital piracy.
NCC made the call in a statement on Saturday to commemorate the 2025 World Intellectual Property Day, with the theme, “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP.”
The statement was signed by its spokesman, Ijeoma Egbunike and made available to PUNCH Online on Saturday.
The commission stressed the urgent need to safeguard the rights of creators in the country’s booming music sector, urging stronger enforcement of copyright laws and compliance among users of creative content.
It was pointed out that with Nigerian artists like Ayodeji Balogun, widely recognized as Wizkid; Damini Ogulu (known as Burna Boy); David Adeleke (referred to as Davido); Temilade Openiyi (nicknamed Tems); and Tiwande Savage (often called Tiwa Savage) spearheading a worldwide Afrobeats movement, there has become an urgent necessity to safeguard the creations of domestic talents from exploitation.
Even with their global recognition, the commission expressed concern that numerous Nigerian musicians received minimal compensation for their work because of widespread piracy, inadequate licensing agreements, and insufficient protection of intellectual property rights.
It stated, “Music needs to embrace the rhythm of intellectual property rights so that the complete scope of innovation can be achieved.”
It stressed that copyright protection was vital to ensuring that composers, producers, sound engineers and other contributors to musical works were fairly compensated and recognised.
The commission also called on broadcasters, streaming platforms, event organisers, and other commercial users of music to obtain the proper licences from rights holders or their collective management organisations.
The NCC highlighted recent changes to the Collective Management Regulations aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability among CMOs. These organizations collect and distribute royalties on behalf of copyright holders.
It referred to its updated authority granted by the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, enabling the commission to firmly address issues related to digital piracy and unauthorized monetization of creative content.
The Copyright Act, 2022, it added, provided new mechanisms for taking down infringing content and blocking access to pirated websites.
At the same time, the NCC recognized the ongoing issues plaguing Nigeria’s music sector, notably conflicts regarding rights ownership, licensing, and the unauthorized utilization of artistic creations.
The commission additionally disclosed intentions to launch an extensive anti-piracy initiative, working alongside private sector partners, designed to address piracy issues both online and offline.
It stated that the initiative would include digital auditing systems, real-time royalty tracking, and mandatory transparency measures to restore confidence within the creative community.
“We imagine a vibrant music sector where innovation thrives, artists are valued, and monetary compensation matches their impact on the worldwide cultural scene,” the NCC further stated.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
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