The Federal Government has warned Nigerian Disc Jockeys, better called DJs, against playing people’s music without license.
The FG through the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, made the announcement on Wednesday.
NCC in the advisory issued in Abuja by its Director-General, Dr John Asein stated that Nigerian DJs could face five year imprisonment or fine of N1 million for playing songs without obtaining requisite copyright licences from the rights holders or their approved Collective Management Organisations, CMOs.
“Under sections 9 & 12 of the 2022 Copyright Act, the owner of copyright in musical work had the exclusive right to perform, reproduce, or communicate it to the public.
“Public performance of music by DJs at event centres, hotels, clubs, gardens, or recreational facilities, constitutes both a public performance and a communication to the public of any musical sound recording without authorisation constitutes an infringement under the Act.
“Such infringement may constitute a civil wrong or criminal offence under section 44 (7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of N1 million or five years jail term or both”, he said.
