A critique of intellectual property rights in the music industry

Abstract

Intellectual properties, as a consequence of their intangible nature, are more susceptible to theft and illegal acquisition. Essentially, creators of musical works need some form of right and protection to prevent unauthorized persons from illegally acquiring their intellectual assets and this is frequently referred to as Intellectual Property Rights. To a fair extent, the copyright law has been developed and established in Nigeria. Nonetheless, the strategies that have been installed to ensure its effective implementation and the opportunities provided for the copyright owners to maximize their rights are in question. By extensively using domestic statutes, case laws, foreign conventions and empirical studies from different authors on the subject of copyright in the music industry the writer seeks to explain the basic concept of Intellectual Property as a form of protection for intellectual property-owners which invariably will encourage the spirit of creativity and productivity in the music industry. It also looks at the philosophical structure in which music law and intellectual property rights coalesce in Nigeria’s music industry today to enhance the protection which the law purports to afford the owners or authors of copyrighted works in the music industry. Finally, the article gave an overview of the activities of the Nigerian Copyright Commission and submitted recommendations for effective administration of copyright laws in Nigeria.