The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) recently received the first major tranche of the copyright levy collected by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) under the provisions of the Copyright Act 2022 reportedly over ₦1.2 billion, which is meant to compensate rights holders for private copying of music and other copyrighted works. The NCC’s move is part of a long-awaited effort to implement a statutory levy scheme that has existed on paper for decades but was never practically administered until now. 

MCSN, which is officially recognised by the NCC as the approved collective management organisation (CMO) for musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria, welcomes the receipt of these funds as a sign that the legal copyright levy framework is finally being operationalised. The Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) also commended MCSN, the Federal Government, and the NCC, noting that the implementation of the levy could meaningfully strengthen the music sector and improve income streams for performers and creators if managed transparently. 

However, not everyone in the Nigerian music industry is happy with how the levy is being handled. The Record Label Proprietors Initiative (ReLPI) a body representing major record labels like Mavin Records, Chocolate City, Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), and international companies such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music has raised strong objections to the NCC’s decision to channel the levy exclusively through MCSN. ReLPI argues that MCSN does not have the legal mandate to represent all rights holders, especially owners of sound recordings, and that the distribution framework lacks transparency and fairness. They say the Copyright Act allows the NCC to disburse funds not just to a single CMO but also to “other representatives of rights holders,” and that MCSN’s monopoly on the levy could exclude many legitimate rights owners from benefiting. 

ReLPI’s core complaints focus on representation and equity in distribution. They contend that sound recording owners and labels should receive a fair share of the levy and that the current plan fails to properly distinguish between the different classes of rights (such as musical works versus sound recordings). They’ve also cited legal provisions that restrict one CMO from representing works already represented by another body, strengthening their case that a more inclusive and transparent approach is needed. 

International bodies like the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) have backed ReLPI’s call for a transparent, equitable distribution system, warning that releasing the funds without clear representation could cause “irreversible prejudice” to rights holders. 

At stake is the proper functioning of Nigeria’s music copyright ecosystem: how royalties are collected, who gets paid, and how revenue that could be worth billions of naira is fairly shared. While the NCC and MCSN see the levy implementation as a milestone for the industry, ReLPI and others view the approach as flawed without broader consultation and a distribution framework that assures accountability and inclusion of all rights owners.