If you own music in Nigeria, there is a source of copyright income you may never have heard of. It comes from something called the Copyright Levy, also commonly described as the Private Copying Levy.
In February 2026, the system moved from years of legislation and discussion into actual implementation when MCSN received the first tranche of the Copyright Levy amounting to ₦1,205,956,580.20 for musical works and sound recordings.
This article explains what the levy actually is, where the law behind it comes from, and most importantly, what you need to do to make sure you’re properly counted when distribution proceeds.
What Is the Copyright Levy?
The copyright levy, also called a private copying levy, is a statutory charge on materials and devices capable of being used to copy copyright works.
Think of the devices people use every day:
- phones
- laptops and computers
- flash drives and hard drives
- memory cards
- other equipment that can store or reproduce music
When those devices are manufactured or imported, a levy is payable. Under Section 89 of the Copyright Act 2022, a levy is payable on materials used or capable of being used to infringe copyright.
The law provides that the levy is paid into the Fund of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), subject to approved deductions, and may be disbursed to approved Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).
What Section 89 actually says
Section 89 of the Copyright Act 2022 does four important things:
- It requires a levy on any material used or capable of being used to infringe copyright.
- It leaves the rate, the list of materials and any exemptions to the Minister.
- It pays the levy into the NCC’s Fund, subject to approved deductions.
- It gives the NCC power to disburse those funds to the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN).
The levy is not a grant, nor a government gift. It is compensation for use of your repertoire that the market cannot track one copy at a time.
The First Copyright Levy Disbursement: A Historic Milestone for Nigerian Creators
In early February 2026, the Nigerian Copyright Commission processed and disbursed the first tranche of the levy for musical works and sound recordings. The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) received ₦1,205,956,580.20.
The payment represented a major development because the Copyright Levy had existed within Nigeria’s copyright framework for many years without becoming an effective operational source of income for creators. This was the first operational use of Section 89 in Nigerian history.
The first tranche is a start, not the whole story; more collections should follow as the scheme continues.
Why the Private Copying Levy is different from other royalties
Most music income needs a visible use; a radio station plays your record, or a streaming service reports a stream. We licence that use, match it to a registered work, and pay the people on the split sheet. Private copying does not work like that.
A listener downloads a song, copies it to another phone, or burns a USB for a journey. There is no log, nor invoice.
So if you have been waiting for “royalties from sales” while the real copying moved onto devices, this is the missing stream. It is the money your music can earn even when nobody buys a copy.
Who Is the Copyright Levy For?
The levy is ultimately intended to benefit copyright owners and rights holders whose protected works fall within the applicable distribution framework.
The levy compensates rights owners for the private and incidental copying of their work, which means it is not a payment reserved for chart-topping artists or major labels. If your musical works or sound recordings have been commercially available and are properly documented with us, you have a claim, regardless of genre, career stage or how many streams your catalogue has.
This includes:
- Songwriters and composers, for their musical works
- Performing artists, for their contribution to sound recordings
- Session musicians and other contributing performers
- Producers and labels, for the recordings they own
- Publishers, for the compositions they administer
How Do I Receive the Copyright Levy?
If you are a Nigerian music creator, do not wait until the money is ready for distribution before thinking about your catalogue.
1. Confirm your membership is active: If you are not yet a member, join. If you are, make sure your profile is current.
2. Register every work you own, old and new. A song from years ago is still an eligible work if it is commercially released and properly documented. Do not assume older catalogue is excluded.
3. Get your splits right and in writing: If a work has co-writers, co-performers or a producer with a stake in the recording, make sure that split is documented and agreed by everyone involved, not just assumed.
4. Check your identifiers: Consistent artist names, correct featured credits, and accurate recording details make the difference between a work that matches cleanly and one that gets stuck in review.
5. Update your bank and contact details: A correctly calculated payment sent to a closed account or an old phone number is a payment that stalls.
6. Watch for our official communications: We will notify members directly through our verified channels as this matter progresses. Treat updates from any other source with caution.
Become a Member of MCSN
Joining MCSN is the most important step toward earning performance royalties. Membership authorises MCSN to license, collect, and distribute royalties for your musical works and sound recordings.
Register Your Works
Once registered as a member, ensure that all compositions and recordings are properly submitted. Accurate work registration enables MCSN to track usage and distribute royalties correctly.
