Nigeria's music industry has grown exponentially in recent years, with Afrobeats dominating global charts and Nigerian artists selling out arenas across Europe and North America. However, behind this success lies a significant challenge that undermines the livelihood of many musicians. The country's royalty collection system, operated by Collective Management Organisations (CMOs), remains largely analogue, outdated, and inefficient.
The current system relies heavily on estimations, incomplete reporting, or manual monitoring, which is inadequate in today's data-driven global music economy. This approach has been in place for decades, but it is no longer sufficient to ensure that creators are fairly compensated for the use of their creative works. International treaties, such as those established to protect, manage, and collect copyrights, provide a clear global standard for fair compensation. However, for these protections to be effective at the national level, countries like Nigeria must develop modern, technology-driven, and transparent royalty management systems.
Nigeria must modernise its CMO structures, strengthen regulatory oversight, and adopt technology-driven tracking systems capable of monitoring music usage across various commercial environments. This is crucial to ensuring that the rights guaranteed by international treaties translate into practical financial benefits for Nigerian creators.
The Nigerian music industry's global success is being undermined by the country's inefficient royalty collection system. Somadina Eugene Okorie is right to highlight the need for modernisation and the adoption of technology-driven tracking systems. The current system, which relies on estimations and manual monitoring, is a relic of the past and must be replaced with a more efficient and transparent system. This is not just a matter of fairness for creators, but also a matter of economic sense, as a more efficient system would allow for better compensation and investment in the music industry. The Federal Government must take concrete steps to strengthen regulatory oversight and support the adoption of technology-driven tracking systems to ensure that Nigerian creators are fairly compensated for their work.
