Joel Ajayi
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has issued a public advisory, mandating that businesses and organisations using copyrighted content in their operations must obtain the appropriate licences or authorisations in accordance with the Copyright Act, 2022.
In a statement signed by its Director-General, Dr. John Asein, the NCC drew attention to the legal requirement for operators of public and commercial venues—including hotels, guest houses, clubs, lounges, bars, restaurants, malls, supermarkets, shops, event centres, gyms, theatres, cinema halls, banking halls, aircraft, public transport systems, television and radio stations, telecom companies, and digital service providers pto obtain authorisation from copyright owners, typically represented by their Collective Management Organisations (CMOs), before using such content in public.
The Commission emphasised that the newly enacted Copyright Act strengthens the rights of authors, creators, and performers of musical works, sound recordings, and audiovisual content. These rights include exclusive control over the public performance, communication, and dissemination of their works.
“In line with the Federal Government’s policy to ensure adequate returns on creative investments and to grow the creative economy, operators must now secure the appropriate licences for the use of copyrighted content,” the statement noted.
The NCC warned that businesses found in violation of the law risk facing both civil and criminal penalties.
“To remain compliant, operators are urged to obtain the necessary permissions through CMOs accredited by the Commission. These include the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) for musical works and sound recordings, and the Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (AVRS) for film and audiovisual works.
To enforce compliance, the Commission announced that Copyright Officers will begin conducting routine inspections at venues across the country where copyrighted music or audiovisual content is used.
