Pay For Music Use Or Risk Jail, NCC Warn Businesses
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has issued a strong warning to businesses and organisations across the country: obtain proper licences for using music and other copyrighted content in public – or face the law.
In a public advisory signed by the Director-General, Dr John Asein, the Commission reminded operators of hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants, event centres, gyms, banks, cinemas, supermarkets, transport systems, and even telecom and digital service providers that using copyrighted content without authorisation violates the Copyright Act 2022.
“The new law strengthens the rights of creators and gives them exclusive control over how their work is used in public,” Dr Asein said. “It’s no longer business as usual. Anyone who uses music or film content in a public or commercial space must get the appropriate licence.”
The NCC warned that businesses failing to comply could face both civil and criminal penalties — including imprisonment. To help rights holders earn fair returns on their work, the Commission is directing all users of copyrighted content to obtain licences through registered Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).
The approved CMOs include:
Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) – for musical works and sound recordings.
Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (AVRS) – for film and audiovisual content.
To enforce compliance, NCC Copyright Officers will begin nationwide inspections of venues where copyrighted material is publicly used.
This move, the Commission said, aligns with the Federal Government’s broader plan to grow Nigeria’s creative economy and protect intellectual property.
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