Cyril Ogar

The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) has announced the receipt of the first tranche of the Copyright Levy fund under Section 89 of the Copyright Act 2022, amounting to ₦1,205,956,580.20, covering musical works and sound recordings.

In a statement, issued by MCSN on Wednesday in Abuja, it expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for providing the political will that made the long-awaited implementation possible. The society also acknowledged the support of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Honourable Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr. John Ohi Asein, whose collective efforts ensured the success of the process.

According to MCSN, the payment aligns squarely with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration to position the creative industry as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy. The society stressed that the development is not political, but an economic reality with far-reaching implications for Nigerian creators.

The copyright levy, though embedded in Nigeria’s copyright laws since 1988, had never been implemented until the current administration. MCSN noted that the eventual disbursement of the fund will reach grassroots creators across the country, helping to lift many musicians out of long-standing economic hardship.

While welcoming the progress, MCSN expressed concern over what it described as sustained attempts by certain interests to frustrate the collective management system that underpins copyright administration in Nigeria. The society specifically referenced campaigns by the Record Labels Proprietors Initiative (RELPI), which it said falsely claims to represent sound recording owners without clearly defining its legal status or interests.

MCSN explained that rights in sound recordings are shared interests between producers and performers, and in Nigeria, many performers and independent producers (owners of copyright in sound recording) are direct members and assignors of MCSN.

It added that the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN), the only legally recognised association of performers and music employers, has a subsisting agreement with MCSN to represent these interests.

The society further stated that RELPI comprises just nine entities, many of which are foreign-interest dominated and already operate under collective management systems in their home countries. MCSN argued that attempts to undermine Nigeria’s collective management framework run contrary to national interest, African Union policy, and international best practices under conventions such as the Berne Convention and WIPO Copyright Treaty.

MCSN reaffirmed that it remains the licensed body to collectively manage rights in musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria under the Copyright Act 2022, adding that any deviation would return the industry to decades of confusion and inefficiency.

In closing, the society reiterated its appreciation to President Tinubu for what it described as a landmark intervention that promises real change for Nigerian musicians and the wider creative sector.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for touching the lives of our musicians across the board. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.

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