Abuja: Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has called on the users of copyright works, especially in hospitality businesses, to obtain performance licences for the use of copyright works from copyright owners to enable them to benefit from their creativities. The Director-General of NCC, Dr. John Asein, made the call at the Colloquium on Copyright Licensing of Public Performance Rights, in Commemoration of the 2025 African Copyright and Collective Management Day, in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Asein highlighted that the Copyright Act, 2022, mandates that hotels and hospitality businesses must secure licences before publicly performing music, films, or broadcasts. He emphasized that artists and producers deserve to recoup from the secondary use of their works, noting that such creations contribute significantly to a hotel’s commercial attraction.
Cable and broadcasting organisations also bear responsibilities when transmitting content into public venues. Asein stressed the importance of clarifying the scope of the licence offered to subscribers, pointing out that a subscription licence does not automatically grant rights of public performance in commercial spaces. He urged hotels and similar establishments to obtain performance licences to avoid misuse and protect content creators’ interests.
The NCC introduced the Collective Management Regulations 2025 to address the challenges of enforcement and multiple rights complexities. These regulations aim to ensure accountability and transparency in the collective management system, allowing right owners to be fairly remunerated. Asein emphasized that licensing should be straightforward, and disputes should be resolved efficiently through NCC’s Dispute Resolution Panel.
He reiterated that the commission had earlier issued a Copyright Advisory, urging users of copyright works in the hospitality industry to regularize their operations by obtaining appropriate licences. Asein called on cable stations like Multichoice Nigeria Ltd. to make full disclosure to commercial subscribers regarding the limits of licences granted.
The commission is committed to providing an environment that allows right owners to maximize returns on their creative endeavors while ensuring users have legitimate access in return for their user licence. Asein urged stakeholders to recognize compliance as both a legal and moral imperative, essential for the thriving of Nigeria’s creative economy.
The colloquium aimed to foster dialogue promoting a balanced copyright system beneficial to both business operators and the creative community. Collective management succeeds when users have clarity, and right owners are treated fairly. Chief Obi Asike, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, and Mr. Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Chairman of the Audio-Visual Rights Society, echoed the importance of rights management and enforcement.
Pupa Oritz Wiliki, Chairman of the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria, stressed that creative people rely on their work as their pension and urged for better enforcement to ensure they receive their dues. He expressed satisfaction with NCC’s support but encouraged further enforcement efforts.