Creative Autonomy, Copyright and Popular Music in Nigeria

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the unique structure of the Nigerian popular music industry. It explores the dissonance between copyright's thematic support for creative autonomy and the practical ways in which the law allows singer-songwriters' (performing authors') creative autonomy to be subverted in their contractual relationships with record labels. The book establishes the concept of creative autonomy for performing authors as a key criterion for sustainable economic development, and makes innovative legal and policy recommendations to help stakeholders preserve it.

Mary W. Gani holds a degree in law (Jos), an LLM in international commercial law (University of Kent), and a PhD in commercial law from Queen Mary, University of London, UK. She is a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.