Oluwatosin Enesi
This call comes amid growing concerns about digital piracy and its impact on creators’ earnings.
The NCC made this call to commemorate the 2025 World Intellectual Property Day, themed “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP.”
The commission highlighted the importance of safeguarding the rights of local creators, particularly with the global rise of Afrobeats led by Nigerian artistes such as Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, and Tiwa Savage.
Despite their international success, many Nigerian musicians earn little from their work due to rampant piracy, poor licensing practices, and weak enforcement of intellectual property laws.
The NCC stressed the need for stronger enforcement of copyright laws and compliance among users of creative content to protect the works of local creators.
It said, “Music must feel the beat of intellectual property for the full potential of creativity to be realised.”
It stressed that copyright protection was vital to ensuring that composers, producers, sound engineers and other contributors to musical works were fairly compensated and recognised.
The commission also called on broadcasters, streaming platforms, event organisers, and other commercial users of music to obtain the proper licences from rights holders or their collective management organisations.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, the NCC pointed to the recent revision of the Collective Management Regulations to boost transparency and accountability among CMOs, which are responsible for collecting and distributing royalties on behalf of copyright owners.
It also referenced its new enforcement powers under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, which empowers the commission to take decisive action against digital piracy and illegal monetisation of creative works.
The Copyright Act, 2022, it added, provided new mechanisms for taking down infringing content and blocking access to pirated websites.
Meanwhile, the NCC acknowledged the persistent challenges facing the Nigerian music industry, particularly disputes over ownership, licensing, and unauthorised use of creative works.
The commission also announced plans to roll out a comprehensive anti-piracy campaign, in collaboration with private sector stakeholders, aimed at tackling both online and offline infringement.
The initiative, it said, would feature digital audit systems, real-time royalty reporting, and enforceable transparency standards to rebuild trust within the creative ecosystem.
“We envision a thriving music industry where creativity flourishes, creators are respected, and financial rewards are commensurate with their contributions to the global cultural landscape,” the NCC added.
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