Music body collects over N$13 million in royalties over two years

The Namibia Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam) has collected N$13 330 698 in royalty payments from music users for the 2023/24 financial year.

Speaking at an open day event at Rundu over the weekend, Nascam chief executive Albert Nicanor said the organisation is working towards a smoother process of collecting and distributing royalties.

“Nascam will continue to implement efficient measures to collect and distribute royalties,” he said, adding that a lack of capable human resources, manual processes, and funding are some of the challenges the body experiences.

“Nascam has developed plans to optimise resources and streamline operations, geared to growing the collection and distribution process,” Nicanor said.

Rundu-based musician Bonnyface Thivagho says it is important for Nascam to hold regular meetings with the creative community in their region to address some of the challenges they face.

“We want a Nascam representative to be based at Rundu and to have meetings twice a year,” Thivagho says.

Another Rundu-based musician, Martha Ntsemba, says Nascam needs to do more to protect intellectual property rights.

“People are not buying original CDs, the majority are copying from others and sharing. We are spending a lot of money to release albums, but the harvest or money we get yearly is not enough,” Ntsemba says.

The royalty distribution process is currently underway.