Kenya music piracy up by 59.2 million visits to sites – IFPI report
Music piracy in the country grew from June 2021 to June 2022, with 59.2 million visits to piracy sites.
This was an increase from the previous year, registered 50.7 million.
From January to May 2021, there were 65.5 million visits to piracy sites in Nigeria. Over the same period in 2022, this number decreased to 54.3 million visits.
The report was shared during a two-day conference held by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
IFPI represents over 8,000 record company members across the globe. This is the inaugural conference being held in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Despite this, recorded music revenues in Sub-Sahara Africa grew the fastest of every region worldwide in 2022, growing by 34.7 percent.
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South Africa tops the world with the most short-form video app users at 78 percent. While Nigeria also tops the world in time spent listening to music each week at 30.4 hours.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw revenue growth of 9.6 percent in 2021, largely driven by streaming.
Speaking during the conference Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) Director General Edward Sigei said they are working with relevant stakeholders to ensure increased revenue collection of royalties.
The government, he said, is working on a policy to ensure that Collective Management Organizations (CMO) benefit from increased revenue from airing of recorded works, including through a revenue share plan with the media.
“The government is exploring legal means to ensure all its agencies including the Communications Authority of Kenya, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) among others can facilitate the collection of royalties.
Furthermore, it will work with County Governments to ensure businesses pay royalties during the licensing process. In addition, the new comprehensive Tariffs will be published in the Kenya Gazette in due course,” Mr Sigei said.
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Angela Ndambuki, the IFPI Sub-Sahara Africa regional director, said that through the establishment of the office, key issues affecting the industry, particularly the challenges, gaps, and opportunities in the collective management of related rights.
“Since the establishment of the SSA office, we have worked with CMOs in key territories including: Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Botswana, and Tanzania to grow the neighbouring rights collective management business primarily for the benefit of right holders, both record companies and self-released artists,” Ms Ndambuki said.
“The meeting will explore means of realizing the potential of the broadcast and public performance market in the region, and through sharing best practice we will identify ways of addressing the existing gaps insofar as concerns sound recording tariffs, compliance, and regulatory environment for CMO operations,” she said.
IFPI is the voice of the recording industry worldwide, representing over 8,000 record company members across the globe.
This was the inaugural Annual Conference for Neighbouring Rights Music Licensing Companies (Collective Management Organizations dealing with producers of sound recordings), National Recording Groups (the trade bodies for record producers), and Record Labels in Nairobi.
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