The Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) and Deejays Association of Nigeria (DJAN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on copyright matters, with the Nigerian Copyright Commission saying it would ease negotiation, collection and distribution of royalties.
Its Director-General, Dr John Asein, made the assertions on Monday at the formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) and Deejays Association of Nigeria (DJAN) in Abuja.
Asein, represented by the Director of Regulatory, Mr Augustine Amodu, said that the collective management of rights remained a reliable system for guaranteeing that right owners benefited from the exploitation of their works.
Amodu described the signing of MoU as a significant milestone for creative industry and the administration of copyright in the country.
“Having facilitated the initial dialogue and the negotiations leading up to this MoU, the Nigerian Copyright Commission is particularly pleased with the maturity and exemplary conduct shown by both parties in arriving at this win-win agreement.
“This development couldn’t have come at a better time than now as Nigeria’s creative industry is witnessing an unprecedented boom.
“As much as we celebrate these successes, we also acknowledge the huge losses of revenue attributable to poor rights management in an increasingly borderless and technology-driven digital environment.
“More avenues for accessing creative contents are springing up on different platforms, disrupting traditional sales and licencing arrangements,’’ the director-general said.
He said that the commission would continue to encourage CMOs to adopt modern business models and leverage on available technological solutions.
According to him, this will help them to, more efficiently deliver on their primary mandate for the ultimate benefit of their members.
“This has become, even more imperative with multiple digital platforms and the blurring of lines between categories of works and mandates.
“In today’s digital copyright landscape, where the media are more interactive and works are easily manipulated, technology will continue to play a more crucial role in delineating repertoire and tracking users.
“Disc Jockeys are critical stakeholders in the copyright value-chain.
“This is because apart from their pivotal role in the dissemination and public performance of music, they are also content creators.
“In the process of performing recorded music, they often create remixes that also qualify as protectable copyright works.
“It is, therefore, in their interest that the collective management system works well to reward right owners,’’ Asein said.
According to him, as a deliberate policy, the commission has always explored ways of supporting CMOs to better enforce rights, monitor uses and collect the royalties due to their members.
In his remarks, the Director-General of MCSN, Mr Mayowa Ayilaran, commended NCC for its intervention at arriving at the signing of the agreement.
Ayilaran said that with the signing of the MoU, the two organisations would work hand-in-hand to achieve set goals for the music industry and the entertainment industry at large.
Also, the National President of DJAN, Mr Tade Adeyemi, described Deejays as transporters of Nigerian music and culture.
Adeyemi said that the collaboration between the two organisations would go a long way in enhancing the living standards of Nigerian musicians, Deejays and other creative people.
