This work explores the operation and regulation of copyright collective
management in Nigeria. The nexus between creativity and copyright and
how creativity has played a pivotal role in development is explained.
The need to balance the interests of authors and users is discussed and
the societies representing the interest of copyright owners are
illustrated.
Further, Nigeria's legal framework for collective management is
enunciated from a pre-independence and post-independence perspective. In
the course of this regulatory challenges encountered in the
administration of collective management organizations, steps so far
taken to address the problems, legislative reforms and judicial
decisions are discussed.
A path to the new regime is chartered. The South African Copyright
collective management system is explored and a comparison between the
Nigerian and South African system is made. Thereby the need for
supervisory and regulatory agencies of government is shown to seek the
national interest regarding the collective administration of copyright
and related rights. Then, suggestions for improvement and lessons for
Africa are provided.