“Neighbouring Rights” also called “Related Rights” are called as much because they ‘neighbour/sit next to the song copyrights. It is a sound recording royalty for any performer who has made an audible contribution to a recording, and to the rights holder who owns the recording.
MCSN is the only approved CMO in Nigeria for Musical Works and Sound Recording Rights
The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) is entrusted with licensing music users and collecting royalties for our members, including composers, songwriters, performers, producers, publishers, record labels, and other rights owners.
By affiliating with MCSN, you become part of a community that values and supports music creators. We work tirelessly to ensure our members receive the royalties they deserve, providing a vital source of income and recognition for their talents.
Membership in MCSN
If you’ve ever written, composed, performed, recorded, produced, or published anything and had it published, performed, or broadcast, you should join MCSN!
Composers
songwriters, lyricists, and music creators.
Authors
lyricists, poets, and writers.
Publishers
music publishers, record labels, and production companies.
Estate of Deceased Artists
successor members representing the interests of deceased artists.
Performer
singers, musicians, and instrumentalists.
Producer
music producers, sound engineers, and recording studios.
Record Label
independent and major record labels.
Other Rights Owners
music rights holders, copyright owners, and intellectual property owners.
MEMBERSHIP
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ROYALTY
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Know Your Rights
MCSN collects and distributes Performance, Mechanical, and Neighboring rights royalties on behalf of our members.
Performing Rights
Earned by authors, composers, songwriters, and publishers when their Musical Works are played or performed in public, such as: Live concerts and events, Radio and TV broadcasts, Public venues (restaurants, bars, etc.).
Mechanical Rights
Enables authors, composers, songwriters, and publishers to earn royalties when their Musical Works are reproduced by a device or machine, such as: CD and digital music sales, Music streaming services, Ringtones and downloads.
Neighboring Rights
Ensures performers, producers, recording artists, and record labels receive royalties when their Sound Recordings are played in public, including: Live performances, Radio and TV broadcasts, Public venues.
Synchronization Rights
Paid when a license grants the right to synchronize either the musical composition or sound recording with visual media, such as: Movies and TV shows, Commercials and advertisements, Video games.
MCSN collects and distributes Performance, Mechanical, and Neighboring rights royalties on behalf of its members.
As the only Collecting Management Organization (CMO) approved by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) is entrusted with licensing music users and collecting royalties on behalf of our members, including composers, songwriters, performers, producers, publishers, record labels, and other rights owners.
At MCSN, our mission is to empower music creators by:
- Collecting and distributing royalties for public performances, mechanical uses, and neighboring rights.
- Licensing music users and negotiating fair rates for our members’ works.
- Providing a platform for members to submit and manage their creative works.
- Advocating for the rights and interests of music creators in Nigeria.
Why Join MCSN?
Membership Benefits
Join the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) and discover a world of benefits designed to support and protect your music. Here are just a few reasons why:
How to Join
Join MCSN Today
Take the first step towards protecting your music rights and earning royalties. Register with the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) and submit your works – we’ll handle the rest.
Free and open to: Songwriters, Composers, Performers, Producers, Arrangers, Music Publishers, Record Labels, and other Right owners.
Online Registration
Complete your membership registration quickly and easily online. Click the "Sign up online" button to begin.
Offline Registration
Download and complete our PDF signup form, then: Email it to members@mcsnnigeria.org to conclude your registration.
Already a Member?
If you’re already an MCSN member, you can:
Submit Your Works
Notify us about your musical works and sound recordings.
Update your Profile
Let us know about changes to your personal details.
Notify Us of Usage
Inform us where your works are being used, so we can claim royalties on your behalf.
Learn More
FAQs
Checkout some of our most frequently asked questions.
Requirements for Performers and Composers:
- Basic Member details (e.g Name, address, email, phone, etc.)
- Copy of your Identification (e.g National ID Card, International Passport, NiN, or other ID.
- Copy of your most recent passport-sized photograph.
- Completed Work Registration Forms of all your works.
Requirements For Publishers and Rightsowners:
- For a Limited Company: Copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association & Certificate of Incorporation.
- For a Partnership Firm: Copy of Partnership Agreement, and certificate of registration.
- For a Sole proprietor: a copy of the proprietor’s ID, and certificate of registration.
- Completed Works Registration Forms for published works.
If you were involved in its creation as an artist, session musician or producer, you are entitled to payment.
At MCSN, we recognise the diversity of artistic contributions involved in productions. This is why we distribute remuneration for a wide range of different types of contributions, including from:
Musician, Singer, Producer, Conductor, Actor/actress, Dance, Imitator, Puppeteer, Mime, Storyteller, Lyric artist, Dj, Choir Director, actor, stage director, instrumentalists, etc.
You will receive information from MCSN regarding your online application almost immediately upon submission.
After a successful application, one is required to wait for not more than 10 days for the approval process to be done and a membership number is issued through an official confirmation letter.
The amount which you may receive is determined by your reported airplay/usage for that distribution year against the total amount of the airplay/usage received by all other recordings registered. These funds are collected from Recorded Music MCSN licensees such as broadcasters, public performance venues or special use compilers and production houses.
After you have registered your music with MCSN and have had some success getting your music out there, you will get paid! Most of the time you will have to wait 6-9 months to receive first royalty payment. Then, every quarter subsequently. International royalties take even longer because of the different pay schedules. Be patient, and watch the royalties slowly increase as you become more established.
Has your music been played abroad? If so, register your music with us as soon as possible. The sooner, the better. We will then take immediate steps to collect the payment due to you from abroad.
Music transcends national borders. Given that Nigerian music is also popular abroad, it’s important that your rights are managed beyond those borders as well. MCSN manages your rights both at home and abroad.
You can join MCSN from anywhere in the world – it doesn’t matter where you’re based. Simply follow the application process and we’ll let you know of any extra documentation we might need as you complete the form.
MCSN collects and distributes mechanical royalties to Members when their works have been copied or reproduced
We represent and license mechanical rights in Nigeria on behalf of our Members (songwriters, composers, lyricists, music publishers, and publishing administrators) and collect royalties for the reproduction of their works. This includes works that are:
- commercially released by a record company on a CD, DVD, or LP
- recorded and used by a radio or TV program
- recorded and used for an audiovisual or multimedia production
- used online (streaming or downloading)
Why join Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN)?
Affiliating yourself with MCSN and registering your songs with us allows you to receive the applicable publishing royalties or recorded music royalties (as applicable) from the use of your music in public.
If you are a musician and you write or perform your own music, it is important to be a part of MCSN. We collect “backend royalties” and distributes them to you. For example, if your music is used on TV, radio, streaming services, etc. you will receive royalties. You can also receive performance royalties from playing your own songs at a live venue and claiming them.
We have 150+ collection agreements with PROs and CMOs in other countries throughout the world. When your music is played in those countries, MCSN will facilitate payments for those royalties along with your Nigerian based collections. We distribute to our members, assignors and licensors all the royalties that it collects, after deducting only bare costs of administration.
Our Members comprise: Writers, Composers, Publishers, Sub-publishers, Record Labels, Artists, Performers, Producers, Arrangers, Editors, and proprietors of copyrighted musical works. Where a member is deceased, this term also refers to any successor including; any spouse, child, next of kin, beneficiary, personal representative, trustee, publisher or proprietor.
You’ll need to match one or more of the following criteria:
- Your music is being streamed or downloaded.
- Your music is broadcasted on TV, Radio, or Online.
- Your music is performed live.
- Your music is played in a public space (e.g. shop, parks, venues, restaurant).
- Your music is used in film.
- Your music is released by a record company on a CD or vinyl.
- Your music is recorded and used for an audiovisual or multimedia production.
- You (or your business, partnership, organization, etc.) are actively engaged in the music publishing business.
How to Join as a Composer
Do you compose, write, perform, arrange, or produce musical works that are used in public? Joining MCSN as an Composer means you can earn money when your music is used.
You don’t need to be signed to a record label, but you do need to be the copyright owner of a musical work.
Requirements:
- Copy of your Identification (e.g National ID Card, International Passport, NiN, or other ID.
- Copy of your most recent passport-sized photograph.
- Fully completed Application Form. (SEE HERE)
- Completed the Deed of Assignment. (SEE HERE)
- Completed Work Registration Forms of all your works. (SEE HERE).
How to Join as a Publisher
You can earn royalties through the performing and mechanical rights of musical works if you have at least 5 works in your catalogue by at least two different composers, and you can provide evidence of your status as a music publishing company or a Record Label
Requirements:
- For a Limited Company: Copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association & Certificate of Incorporation.
- For a Partnership Firm: Copy of Partnership Agreement, and certificate of registration.
- For a Sole proprietor: a copy of the proprietor’s ID, and certificate of registration.
- Fully completed Application Form. (SEE HERE)
- Copies of contracts with the writers of the works listed.
- Completed Works Registration Forms for published works. (SEE HERE)
- Completed the Deed of Assignment. (SEE HERE).