The federal government has warned the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) against copyright infringement and piracy.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), John Asein, gave the warning on Tuesday during a workshop on intellectual property rights in Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun.

The workshop was organised by PMAN, Osun State chapter.

Mr Asein was represented at the event by the NCC State Coordinator in Ibadan, Oluropo Oke.

The NCC boss, who noted that copyright is a right granted to an author by law, said that many professional musicians infringe on other people’s musical works without approval from the owners.

Mr Asein said that the owner of copyright in a work, in respect of which copyright has been infringed, may issue a notice of infringement to the relevant service provider to take down or disable access to any infringing content.

On the duration of copyright, Mr Asein said that under Section 19 of the Copyright Act, literary, musical or artistic works, other than photographs, last 70 years after the end of the year in which the author dies.

He said that for sound recordings, the duration is 50 years after the end of the year in which the recording was first made available to the public with the consent of the author, or 50 years after the work was created if not made available within that time.

Mr Asein also warned musicians against piracy, which he described as the unauthorised duplication and/or replication of work or content in which copyright subsists for commercial purposes.

He said that anyone who infringes on the copyright of another work is liable, upon conviction, in the case of an individual, to a fine of at least N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of at least one year, or both, under the Copyright Act.

He said that in the case of a body corporate, the offender is liable to a fine of at least N2 million.

“The court before which an offence under this section is tried may order that the recording or any other part be delivered to the person entitled to the performer’s right,” he said.

He said that the NCC is responsible for all matters relating to copyright, including administration, regulation and enforcement in Nigeria.

Mr Asein added that the commission is also responsible for investigating and redressing cases of copyright infringement and settling copyright disputes where those disputes have not been specifically reserved for settlement under the Act.

He, however, said that for the author of a sound recording or musical work to enjoy all the rights, the work must be eligible for copyright protection.

Mr Asein urged musicians to always register their works with the commission and obtain permission from the author before using their work.

The NCC boss added that the commission is responsible for all copyright matters in the country, including administration, enlightenment, regulation, protection, enforcement and prosecution.

The governor of PMAN in the state, Akintayo Akinbade, commended the NCC for the workshop, describing it as an eye-opener.

Mr Akinbade said that with the knowledge gained from the workshop, members of the association now know what copyright is about and how to register their music with the commission.

He said members of the association would continue to obey the Copyright Act and engage in music that would uplift the people. 

(NAN)