Music Producers Association drags COSON to court over Royalty Distribution

The Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN) has instituted a Legal suit before a Federal High Court Lagos, against the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) over its Royalty distribution Policy.

In the new suit labelled FHC/L/CS/1418/19, and filed by plaintiff counsel, Mr Olumide Mustapha, the plaintiff joined COSON as sole defendant.

MPAN:s suit seeks to declare as illegal, COSON’s practice of “General Distribution” of royalties, thereby freeing and making more funds available for increased royalty distribution to deserving COSON members.

It avers that this manner of “General Distribution”, does not reflect the usage of the works covered by the defendant’s repertoire, and is not based on information furnished by its users.

Plaintiff is therefore, seeking a detemination, whether, by virtue of the provisions of Regulations 15 (1) & (2) of the Copyright Regulations 2007, the defendant’s manner of distribution is legal.

It seeks a Declaration that the defendant’s manner of royalties distribution, known as ‘General Distribution’ or however so called, is not based on information furnished by its users, and so, is illegal.

MPAN, consequently, seeks an order, prohibiting COSON from further distributing royalties in such manner, as it does not reflect the usage of works covered by the defendant’s repertoire and not based on information furnished by users.

MPAN seeks any order, or such other orders, as the honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

No date has been fixed for hearing of the new suit.