Disc jockeys (DJs) were Wednesday cautioned against publicly performing music without authorisation or a licence. Dr. John Asein, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) director-general, gave the warning in an advisory issued in Abuja.
He said the Commission’s attention had been drawn to the growing practice of DJs playing music in public spaces without obtaining copyright licences from their approved Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).
Asein said under sections 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act, 2022, only the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording has the exclusive right to reproduce, perform, or communicate it to the public.
The NCC threatened to prosecute defaulters in a case that could lead to a N1 million fine or a five-year jail term upon conviction.
Said he: “Engaging in any of these acts without the owner’s authorisation constitutes an infringement under the Act.
“Such infringement may constitute a civil wrong or a criminal offence under section 44 (7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than N1 million or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or to both”.
Asein advised DJs to obtain the necessary licences and pay royalties to the approved CMO before performing music publicly.
The NCC director-general added that the Commission would arrest and prosecute anyone found violating the law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the approved CMO for musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria is the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN).
“The Commission is aware that the Disc Jockey’s Association of Nigeria (DJAN), as the umbrella body representing DJs in Nigeria, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with MCSN.
“Under the arrangement, DJAN is authorised to work with MCSN to facilitate the payment of royalties by DJs nationwide, based on the tariff that DJAN had negotiated with MCSN”.
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