June 24, (THEWILL) – The Audio-Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS), is excited to announce its admission as a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) at its General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea on May 30, 2024. CISAC is a prestigious global network dedicated to the protection of intellectual property rights. This significant milestone marks a new chapter in AVRS’s ongoing efforts to advocate for the rights of creators in the audiovisual sector. As a newly inducted member of CISAC, AVRS joins the esteemed community of over 227 authors’ societies in 116 countries, collectively representing over 5 million creators from all artistic fields.
This membership 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. 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. This will enhance AVRS’s ability to serve its members more effectively and to navigate the complexities of the global intellectual property landscape.
Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Chairman of AVRS, expressed his enthusiasm about the new membership: “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 Audio-Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (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, Mahmood 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.
GAVA, in which AVRS Nigeria is a founding member, acts as a global unified voice for audiovisual performers and their collective management organizations in advocating for their rights and interests in international forums, negotiations and discussions.
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