By our Reporter
The Nigerian Copyright Commission has called for renewed respect for intellectual property rights in the Nigerian music industry, as part of efforts to curb the rising threat of digital piracy.
NCC made the call in a statement on Saturday to commemorate the 2025 World Intellectual Property Day, with the theme, “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP.”
The statement was signed by its spokesman, Ijeoma Egbunike and made available to PUNCH Online on Saturday.
The commission stressed the urgent need to safeguard the rights of creators in the country’s booming music sector, urging stronger enforcement of copyright laws and compliance among users of creative content.
It noted that with Nigerian artistes such as Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid; Damini Ogulu (Burna Boy); David Adeleke (Davido); Temilade Openiyi (Tems); and Tiwatope Savage (Tiwa Savage) leading a global Afrobeats explosion, there was an increasing need to protect the works of local creators from abuse.
Despite their international acclaim, the commission lamented that many Nigerian musicians still earned little from their creative efforts due to rampant piracy, poor licensing practices, and weak enforcement of intellectual property laws.
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.
