The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has cautioned Disc Jockeys (DJs) against performing copyrighted music in public without obtaining the necessary licenses or authorization from the rights holders.
According to Dr. John Asein, Director-General of NCC, the commission has noticed that some DJs are publicly performing music without securing the required copyright licenses from rights holders or their approved Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).
He said, under sections 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act, 2022, the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording had 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 wrong or a criminal offence under section 44 (7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than N1 million or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or to both.
“The public performance of music by a DJ, whether at hotels, event centres, clubs, gardens, or recreational facilities, constitutes both a public performance and a communication to the public of the musical work and sound recording, as provided for under the Act,” he added.
The NCC emphasized the importance of obtaining proper authorization before using copyrighted materials, warning that failure to do so may result in penalties.
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