The Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS), a Collective Management Organisation (CMO) that oversees the payment of royalties to stakeholders in the movie industry, has been admitted as a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC). The admission held at the last General Assembly held in Seoul, South Korea last month.
This significant milestone marks a new chapter in AVRS’s ongoing efforts to advocate for the rights of creators in the audiovisual sector. CISAC is a prestigious global network, dedicated to the protection of intellectual property rights. As a newly inducted member of CISAC, AVRS joins an esteemed community of over 227 authors’ societies in 116 countries, collectively representing over five million creators from all artistic fields.
This membership, according to Chairman of AVRS, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, will enable AVRS to strengthen its mission of ensuring fair compensation and robust legal protections for audiovisual creators while also promoting greater collaboration and exchange of best practices on a global scale.
He noted that membership in CISAC will provide AVRS with access to a vast array of resources, including advanced technological tools, educational programs, and a network of international experts in intellectual property rights.
Ali-Balogun said: “Joining CISAC is a landmark achievement for AVRS. It validates our efforts in protecting the rights of audiovisual creators’ rights and opens up new avenues for international collaboration. We are excited to work closely with CISAC and its member societies to further our shared goals.”
The AVRS is the sole government-approved collective management organisation for audiovisual works in Nigeria. Approved by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in 2014, AVRS tirelessly works to ensure that creators receive fair compensation for the use of their works and advocates for stronger intellectual property rights laws and enforcement.
In another development, Ali-Balogun was elected to the Executive Committee of Global Audio Visual Alliance (GAVA) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland as Secretary. GAVA is a coalition of Collective Management Organizations across the world focused on expanding and improving the rights of audiovisual performers worldwide and collective management of audiovisual rights.
