The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has warned Disc Jockeys ( DeeJays)to obtain a licence from the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) before performing music to the public or face a five-year jail term.
According to a copyright advisory statement by the regulatory body on Friday, failure to obtain a licence from MCSN constitutes copyright infringement, punishable by a fine of N1 million or imprisonment for five years or both.
The commission, however, warned that it would not hesitate to investigate, arrest, and prosecute DJs who fail to comply with the law.
The advisory statement reads thus: ‘Under section 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act 2022, the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording has the exclusive right to reproduce, perform or communicate it to the public. Engaging in any of these acts without the owner’s authorisation constitutes an infringement under the Act. Such infringement may constitute a civil or a criminal offence under section 44(7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than N 1000,000.00 (One million naira) or imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years’.
The NCC maintained that public performance of music, whether at hotels, event centers, clubs, or recreational facilities, requires a licence. It said that it would be working with the DeeJays Association of Nigeria to facilitate payment of royalties and ensure compliance.
