The Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, has warned Nigerian Disc Jockeys to obtain a license from the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte, MCSN, before performing music to the public. NCC recently shared that any DJ who goes against the guideline would face a 5-year jail term henceforth.
Speaking via a copyright advisory statement, the regulatory body said that failure to obtain a license from MCSN constitutes copyright infringement, and it is punishable by a fine of N1 million or imprisonment for five years or both.
Warning that it will not hesitate to investigate, arrest, and prosecute disc jockeys who fail to comply with the law, NCC stated that the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording will always have the exclusive right to reproduce, perform or communicate it to Nigerians.
Read Also: Don’t Try To Stir Up Unnecessary Drama Between Biola Bayo And I – Laide Bakare
“Under section 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act 2022, the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording has the exclusive right to reproduce, perform or communicate it to the public. Engaging in any of these acts without the owner’s authorization constitutes an infringement under the Act.
Such infringement may constitute a civil or a criminal offence under section 44(7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than N 1000,000.00 (One million naira) or imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years,” it read.
The commission maintained that public performance of music at any public gathering requires a license, stating that NCC is currently working with the Deejays Association of Nigeria, DJAN, to aid payment of royalties and guarantee compliance.
