In a petition signed by its President, Pretty Okafor, PMAN raised concerns over a stakeholder forum held on February 19, 2026, at the Federal Ministry of Justice. The meeting, according to PMAN, was initially convened to broaden consultations on the Copyright Levy disbursement process but was later reclassified as an internal ministry session.
The association claimed that the Director-General/CEO of the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) and PMAN’s president were informed not to attend after the reclassification, only for the meeting to proceed. PMAN alleged that the session was subsequently repurposed to advance RELPI’s interests, including steps consistent with pushing the body toward licensing or formal recognition as a CMO.
PMAN further flagged what it described as potential conflicts of interest involving certain public officials. The petition alleged that Obi Asika, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), who is publicly associated with Storm 360, attended the meeting and is a member of RELPI. It also named Prince Baba Clement Agba, Special Assistant to the President on Creative Economy, alleging a direct relational link to RELPI through his spouse, identified in the petition as a director within the body.
According to PMAN, the involvement of individuals allegedly linked to RELPI in a sensitive and ongoing policy and legal dispute creates what it termed a “classic conflict situation” that risks projecting government partiality.
The association also referenced ongoing litigation—Suit No. FHC/L/CS/207/2026: Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative & 11 Ors. v. Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (Re: Central Bank of Nigeria)—which it characterised as an attempt to alter or truncate the levy disbursement framework at a formative stage. PMAN warned that policy steps taken while the matter remains before the court could create sub judice complications and destabilise the collective management system.
Central to PMAN’s concerns is the fear that foreign-linked label interests, acting through RELPI, could gain disproportionate control over funds intended to benefit grassroots Nigerian musicians nationwide. The group likened the situation to public controversies over diverted COVID-19 palliatives, arguing that the Copyright Levy—activated under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda—must not be redirected away from its intended beneficiaries.
In its petition, PMAN called on the Attorney-General to review the February 19 meeting, including its attendee list, minutes, and any resolutions. It also urged the suspension of any steps toward RELPI’s licensing or recognition pending a transparent stakeholder process, and requested that officials with alleged ties to RELPI recuse themselves from matters relating to levy disbursement or CMO licensing.
Additionally, PMAN demanded an urgent, properly constituted stakeholder meeting involving the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), approved CMOs, PMAN, and other recognised bodies, with a published agenda and formal record-keeping to safeguard institutional integrity.
While reiterating its support for the President and the Attorney-General’s efforts to advance the Copyright Levy, PMAN said its intervention is aimed at preventing what it described as insider influence from undermining reforms and returning Nigeria’s music industry to prolonged instability in rights administration.