Performers' Rights

The creative industry in Nigeria has turned what is often considered 'informal work' into a hub for exporting Nigeria's culture with a revenue of about 4.5 billion dollars¹ Creative performers such as musicians, dancers, actors and comedians amongst others have contributed 3 per cent to the global economy. As such, there is a need for performers (creative) to know about their rights in order to thrive in such a lucrative industry. In this article, Performers' Rights, we will explore the concept of performance rights, and explain why they are so important.

It is important to understand who a performer is. The word "performer" was not defined in the Nigerian Copyright Act² however what constitutes performance was stated. The term "performance" was defined to include, dramatic performance (including dance or mime), musical performances and a reading of a literary act or any similar presentation which is a live performance.³ The act refers to Performers' Rights as