Music Copyright Registration Service

Our Music Copyright Registration Service at 1710Media is designed to assist Musicians, Songwriters, Composers, and other creative individuals in protecting their musical works, sound recordings, audio-visuals, and visual arts in Nigeria. 

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Music Copyright Registration

We understand the significance of copyright protection in the music industry and offer a comprehensive range of services to safeguard your intellectual property. 

Our Copyright Registration Service for Musicians is designed to simplify the process of protecting original musical compositions, lyrics, and recordings. We understand the importance of securing legal rights and control over creative works, allowing musicians to monetize their music effectively.

1710Media has a team of knowledgeable copyright specialists who specialize in the music industry, we handle all aspects of the copyright application process. From ensuring compliance with Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) requirements to assisting with form completion and supporting documentation, we strive to streamline the registration process for musicians.

Acting on behalf of musicians, we submit the copyright application accurately and promptly. Throughout the registration process, we monitor the application's progress and address any inquiries from NCC, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

Copyright registration provides concrete proof of ownership and strengthens musicians' legal position in the event of infringement. It establishes a presumption of ownership in Nigerian courts, simplifying the enforcement process.

Register Copyright

Benefits

Why is it Important to Copyright Your Music?

  • Certificate Of Registration: You will receive a certificate of registration from the Nigerian Copyright Commission as physical proof of your registration. This certificate can be useful in proving ownership, especially when presenting it to third parties.

  • Established Public Record: When you copyright your music, you create a public record of ownership of your original work. This means that in case of any disputes or infringement issues, you can easily prove your ownership.

  • International Protection: Registering music copyright in Nigeria can help protect the copyright in 180+ other countries that have reciprocal agreements through treaties such as the Berne Convention.
     

  • Licensing and Royalties: Registering music copyright can make it easier for the copyright owner to license to others, and to collect royalties for its use in various contexts such as radio, television, film, and live performances.

  • Infringement Suit: Copyright Registration gives you the option to file an infringement suit in court, which could yield you a significant amount of compensation. In most cases, you cannot bring a case to court unless you have officially registered your copyright. 

  • Deterrence: Registering a music copyright can serve as a deterrent to potential infringers, who may be less likely to use or reproduce a copyrighted work if they know that the owner has taken steps to protect their rights.

  • Eligible To Earn More: If you have to take someone to court, the registration may make you eligible to collect more damages and attorney’s fees if you’re successful with the case.

  • Avoids Collaboration Disputes: If you don’t register your copyrights or create an agreement with the people you are working with, by default; each collaborator will own an equal share of the content being created regardless of their contribution. 

  • Saves You Time & Money: Protecting yourself now through the registration of your copyrights will better prepare you for any future issues and disputes.

  • Leave A Legacy: Other people in your life could benefit from this as well. We often see how an artist’s success can skyrocket after their untimely demise.
    Having the right copyright protection in place can benefit your family after you’re gone.

  • The owner of a musical work enjoys copyright throughout their lifetime and for 70 years after death. In the case of sound recordings, the owner enjoys Copyright for 50 years from the time the work was first published. 

Features

Start Music Copyright Registration

Get started with Music Copyright Registration Service.
Complete the form below to begin the process. 

Copyright Form
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Features

Here are the Features included in our Music Copyright Registration Service:

Consultation and Guidance: We begin by providing a consultation session to understand your copyright registration goals.

Copyright Registration Application Preparation: We assist you in preparing and completing the copyright registration application. 

Documentation and Submission: We handle the compilation and submission of the required documentation for your copyright registration application with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC). 

Application Tracking and Monitoring: We monitor the progress of your application, respond to any queries or requests for additional information from NCC, and provide regular updates on the status of your copyright registration.

Copyright Certificate Acquisition: Upon successful registration, we assist in obtaining the official digital copyright certificate. This certificate serves as legal proof of your ownership and copyright protection, establishing your rights as the creator of the music and providing a defense against infringement.
 

Digital delivery of CTC of the registration form - which includes all relevant details contained within the registered works.

Copyright Infringement Support: In the unfortunate event of copyright infringement, our team is available to provide support and guidance.

Digital storage of Documents.

Protect your Single, Album, EP, Beat, Lyrics, Music video, Image artwork, etc.

You will get your Copyright certificate in 10 working days.

FAQs

Check out some of the Most Frequently asked questions relating to Music Copyright Registration service:

Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country, that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, usually for a limited time, to enable the creator (e.g. a musician) to receive compensation for their intellectual effort.

In Nigeria, this basket of rights granted by the Copyright Act to copyright owners in musical or audiovisual works and sound recordings are expressly outlined in sections 9, 10, 11 & 12 of the Copyright Act, 2022. Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) is the body charged with enforcing and protecting copyright.

The author of a musical work enjoys copyright throughout their lifetime and for 70 years after death. In the case of sound recordings and performances, the owner enjoys Copyright for 50 years from the time the work was first published. 

Copyright registration provides legal protection for your music by establishing your ownership and rights. It serves as evidence of your copyright claim and provides you with additional legal benefits, such as the ability to sue for infringement and seek statutory damages. Registering your music copyrights helps safeguard your creative work and provides peace of mind.

In music, various elements can be copyrighted, including original compositions, lyrics, melodies, arrangements, and recordings. Each aspect can be registered separately if desired. It's important to note that copyright protects the expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves. Therefore, your music must be original and fixed in a tangible form to be eligible for copyright protection.

To copyright your music in Nigeria, the following are required: 

  • Copyright work identification: Title of the music work or sound recording, names of the composers, writers, and performers, as well as the date of creation.
  • Copyright owner's identification: Full name, address, nationality, date of birth, and country of residence.
  • Copyright work description: The nature of the work, including any unique features, and the form in which it is being submitted for registration (eg. CD, Flash Drive, Hard drive, DVD, etc).
  • Copies of the music work: You will need to provide copies of the musical work or sound recording.

It's generally recommended to register your music copyrights as soon as your work is in its final form and before any public release or distribution. Registering early helps establish a clear date of creation and strengthens your copyright claim. However, copyright can be registered at any time, even after publication, as long as you meet the requirements.

Yes, we provide comprehensive assistance with the music copyright registration process. Our service includes guidance on preparing the necessary documentation, submitting the application, and ensuring compliance with the requirements of the copyright office. We aim to simplify the process and help protect your creative rights.

While it is not required to have a lawyer for copyright registration, seeking legal advice can be beneficial, especially for complex cases or if you have specific concerns.

1710Media is not a law firm, we are a Music Agency and our staff includes CAC-accredited Chartered Secretaries and Lawyers assisting you with Company registration. 

When you record a song, you may be creating two works that can be protected by copyright law: a musical work and a sound recording.

  • Musical Works: A musical work is a song’s underlying composition created by a songwriter or composer along with any accompanying lyrics.
  • Sound Recordings: A sound recording is a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds fixed in a recording medium, such as a CD or digital file, called a “phonorecord.” Sound recordings can also be lectures, podcasts, or other audio recordings. 

Even though musical works and sound recordings are separate works under copyright law, you may be able to register them together on a single application with a single fling fee if the copyright owner of the sound recording and musical work is the same.

In Nigeria, copyright in musical work holds for the lifetime of the author and seventy years after the death of the author, while copyright in sound recording holds for fifty years after the end of the year in which the recording was first published.

Copyright is an exclusive right and gives the creator or owner of a work a “basket of rights”, which includes; the sole right to reproduce the copyrighted work in any material form, to publish the work, to perform the work in public, to make any cinematograph film or a record in respect of the work, to broadcast or communicate the work to the public by loudspeaker or other similar device, to issue sell or rent copies to the public, etc.

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