The legality and signification of the AGF’s directive approving a second musical CMO in Nigeria

For over two decades, the collective management of rights in the Nigerian music industry has witnessed a fierce rivalry between the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN). While the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) approved the former, it refused to approve the latter. Despite this, MCSN has continually acted as a CMO; a development that has led to litigations between it and rights users on the one hand, and between it and the NCC and COSON on the other. However, in March 2017 the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) mandated the immediate approval of MCSN as a permanent solution to the industry’s problem. This article focuses on this approval. Apart from examining the legality of the AGF’s directive and the likely effect(s) of a multiplicity of CMOs on the music industry, the article also proffers measures that may help reposition collective management in the industry for optimal performance.