Nollywood’s rapid digital expansion through platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video has increased global visibility for Nigerian films while raising complex questions about the ownership, licensing, and enforcement of the intellectual property embedded within them.
In her recent publication on MONDAQ, our Partner, A. Tope Tokan-Lawal, examines the legal status of film soundtracks under the Copyright Act 2022 and why these creative assets are becoming increasingly valuable and vulnerable in the streaming era.
The article explains that a soundtrack may embody several layers of copyright protection simultaneously, including musical works, sound recordings, and audiovisual works, often owned by different rights holders. Without clear contractual assignments or licences between film producers and composers or music producers, uncertainty may arise in a film’s chain of title, potentially disrupting distribution, monetisation, and streaming exploitation. The piece also highlights how automated platform enforcement systems, such as YouTube Content ID, can lead to demonetisation or revenue diversion where soundtrack rights are not properly cleared.
As Nollywood continues to grow as a global content powerhouse, the article emphasises the importance of well-drafted production agreements, proper rights documentation, and practical dispute resolution mechanisms to safeguard soundtrack rights and ensure that films remain commercially viable across digital platforms.
Read the full article: https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/copyright/1757680/safeguarding-nollywood-soundtracks-contractual-ownership-digital-enforcement-and-the-path-to-secure-rights-in-the-streaming-era