COSON ready for Nigeria’s first digital music licensing summit

 
Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the nation’s sole Federal Government approved collective management organisation for musical works and sound recordings in collaboration with the Nigerian Music Industry Coalition has concluded arrangements to host Nigeria’s first Digital Music Licensing Summit. The summit holds on Monday, August 12, 2013 at Protea Hotel, GRA, Ikeja by 10.00am.

 The objective of the summit is “Working Together to Maximize Legal Digital Music Exploitation Gains in Nigeria”.

It will bring together stakeholders such as artistes, composers, publishers, label owners, mobile network operators, digital music providers, aggregators, online music service provider and so on to discuss all issues that affect the digital and online exploitations of Musical Works and Sound Recordings in Nigeria.

 Speaking on the reason for the summit and the society’s level of preparedness, COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji said, Improving the music business in the digital and internet environment has proven to be a tough challenge. Music copyright in the digital environment has become a very topical issue leading to a lot of avoidable litigations across the world. The Summit provides a very important opportunity for everyone involved in the business of digital music whether as a seller or buyer to come together for the first time in the nation’s history under one roof to discuss issues of common interest. He further said that the summit will help clarify issues that may affect the exploitations of musical works and sound recordings in the digital/online environment. The summit will also help to delineate the boundaries for each stakeholder so as to eliminate or reduce unnecessary squabbles and legal battles.

 “We are fully ready and I guarantee you an interesting and explosive session as this will help broaden our understanding on the dynamics of digital music exploitations.

 Expected at the summit are top players such as Obi Asika, Efe Omorogbe, Audu Maikori, Banky W, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, Mark Redguard of Spinlet, Simon Aderinola, National Cordinator, Wireless Application Service Providers of Nigerian (WASPAN), Mr. Gbolahan Awonuga of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Afam Ezekude, Director General of Nigerian Copyright Commission and several others.