The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) has reiterated its determination to pursue legal recourse against entities in Nigeria that fail to remit required royalties for the use of musical works.
MCSN disclosed its initiation of legal proceedings against specific companies in the broadcasting and hospitality sectors for unauthorized exploitation of musical works and sound recordings. Notably, one company faces a staggering N29 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court. This action follows previous court judgments in 2018 and 2020, which resulted in damages amounting to N5.9 billion.
The legal actions extend beyond compensation for the use of musical works, addressing value-added tax (VAT) obligations to both federal and state governments. MCSN emphasized that such non-compliance not only harms musicians but also deprives governments of essential revenue for citizen-centric initiatives.
Acknowledging the significance of legislative support, MCSN expressed gratitude to the 9th National Assembly and the Federal Government for enacting the new Copyright Act 2022. This legislative milestone is expected to rectify prevailing issues of unfair treatment towards practitioners in Nigeria’s creative industries.
Additionally, MCSN highlighted its legal pursuit against Transcorp Hotels Plc, seeking damages amounting to N2.8 billion.
