ReLPI and MCSN Seek Out-of-Court Settlement in Copyright Dispute, PMAN President Reveals
 |
| PMAN President Pretty Okafor |
The long-running dispute between the Record Label Proprietors Initiative (ReLPI) and the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) over the distribution of copyright levies could soon be resolved, as both parties have agreed to an out-of-court settlement.
The row began after the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) paid the first instalment of the copyright levy—amounting to roughly ₦1.2 billion—to the MCSN in early February 2026. ReLPI challenged the distribution and successfully obtained a court order freezing the MCSN’s assets.
In lawsuit number FHC/L/CS/207/2026, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, ReLPI sought a Mareva injunction to prevent the MCSN from dispersing or transferring assets abroad while the legal proceedings were ongoing. The order also barred the Central Bank of Nigeria, alongside 20 other commercial banks and financial institutions, from processing any payment instructions from the MCSN regarding copyright levy funds for sound recordings.
Speaking to NollyNow, PMAN President Pretty Okafor confirmed that the parties have now agreed to settle their differences outside court. This breakthrough paves the way for the levy funds to finally be distributed to verified members.
“The judge gave the parties a timeframe to meet, reconcile, and reach an agreement, or return to court if peace is not achieved,” Okafor said.
He added that a media briefing will be held in the coming days to explain the delay to musicians who completed verification for the payment.
“This is important because the funds are meant specifically for verified musicians,” he said.
