The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has announced that it will start clamping down on deejays who breach the provisions of the Copyright Act.
According to the commission, this is part of its increased effort to ensure that copyright is respected and to address all types of copyright abuse.
According to the commission, it has always looked into ways to help Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) in order to help them effectively enforce rights, monitor uses, and collect the royalties owed to their members.
Director General of the Commission, Dr. John Asein said this in Abuja at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) and the Deejays Association of Nigeria (DJAN).
He said: “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.
“We are also exploring interventions to assist the Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) to enhance collections from users of audiovisual works. While the Commission will continue to give such institutional support to CMOs it would not renege on its obligation to
ensure that balance in the negotiation process.
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“It is expected that the new Copyright Bill, when signed into law, would provide more adequately for the exploitation of works in the digital environment, thereby strengthening the position of CMOs and enhancing the management and enforcement of rights.
“It is also important to mention that, as part of the Commission’s renewed drive to ensure respect for copyright and address all forms of copyright abuses, operatives will soon commence the enforcement of the criminal provisions of the Copyright Act against any Deejay who is found to be in infringement.
“To this end we will be engaging with the DJAN to develop a regulatory framework and ensure that operators are properly accredited and identified when they carry out public performances. This is to bring sanity to their operations, promote professionalism and ensure total compliance with copyright rules.
“As recent reports on CMO operations in Nigeria have shown, there is need for an overhaul of the regulatory framework. The Commission has already commenced the process for that reform with a view to ensuring better service delivery.”
