Lagos, Nigeria – Renowned Nigerian entertainment lawyer Akinyemi Ayinoluwa has called on African producers and songwriters to prioritize ownership of their music catalogues, stressing that sustainable wealth in the creative industry depends on securing rights before chasing streams.
Ayinoluwa noted that many back-end creators still lose long-term value by signing away their rights too early. Citing an example, he shared the case of a young producer who was offered $50,000 in 2019 for the outright sale of his publishing interest. While it seemed like a lucrative deal at the time, it would have erased every future income stream. “Today, that same composition has earned over £500,000 in royalties. That’s the difference ownership makes,” he said.
According to Ayinoluwa, catalogue ownership is more than creative pride; it is the foundation of financial control in the music industry. “Master rights, sound recordings, and publishing rights are the true currency of music. They generate royalties, sync fees, and licensing income. Whoever owns them decides how, where, and for how long the music lives,” he explained.
He added that industry practices often favor performers while sidelining producers and songwriters. “Record labels provide funding and marketing, but in return they demand ownership. Too often, the creators behind the hits walk away with a one-time fee, even when their work becomes global,” he said.
Comparing catalogues to real estate, Ayinoluwa described music rights as long-term assets that appreciate in value. “Music is property. Just like land, it can be sold, leased, licensed, or inherited. A $2,000 beat fee today might seem attractive, but the same beat could generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties and sync deals over time.”
He urged African creatives to deepen their understanding of music business fundamentals, including publishing, licensing, royalty collection, and rights management. “The artists who will thrive are those who understand both their art and its economics,” he concluded.