NAIROBI, Kenya – Businesses, event organisers and other users of copyrighted music have been directed to pay licensing fees through the government’s e-Citizen platform, as Kenya tightens oversight of royalty collection in the creative industry.
The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) issued the directive after noting cases in which music users were paying for copyright licences outside the prescribed channels.
In a public notice issued by Acting Executive Director George Nyakweba, the Board instructed users of musical works to obtain licences through authorised Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) using the official portal at copyright.ecitizen.go.ke.
“Please note that all users of musical works are required to pay licensed Collective Management Organisations for copyright licenses through the e-Citizen platform only,” the notice stated.
The directive affects individuals and organisations that use copyrighted music in circumstances requiring a licence, including certain public performances and commercial uses.
KECOBO Warns Against Unauthorised Royalty Collectors
The Board also cautioned individuals and organisations against collecting royalties without its approval, warning that such conduct constitutes an offence under the Copyright Act.
“It is an offence under the Copyright Act for anyone or any organisation to collect royalties without a licence from KECOBO,” the notice stated.
The warning comes as the government moves to centralise royalty collection and distribution through e-Citizen, a change intended to strengthen accountability, reduce revenue leakages and improve payments to copyright holders. The migration was advanced through an agreement between e-Citizen and the Performing and Audio-Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK).
What Businesses and Music Users Need to Know
The directive means music users should verify the authorised licensing channel before making payments. They should also retain payment confirmations and licence records to demonstrate compliance.
KECOBO’s e-Citizen portal provides online copyright services, including music licensing and services related to collective management organisations.
Businesses that play music in public-facing premises, as well as organisers of events where copyrighted works are used, should establish whether their activities require a licence and follow the prescribed process.
The requirement to obtain a licence depends on the nature and circumstances of the music use; the notice does not mean that every private or personal use automatically attracts a licensing fee.
Why the e-Citizen System Matters
Collective Management Organisations collect and distribute royalties on behalf of the creators and rights holders they represent, including songwriters, performers, composers and music producers.
KECOBO regulates these organisations and oversees their licensing. The shift to e-Citizen is intended to make royalty transactions more transparent and strengthen oversight of money collected from the use of copyrighted works.
The changes are unfolding amid wider regulatory scrutiny of Kenya’s collective copyright management sector, including changes to the licensing status of organisations authorised to collect royalties.
Music users should therefore confirm the current status of a collecting organisation directly through KECOBO before paying, rather than relying solely on previous arrangements or demands from individual collectors.
The Board’s latest notice reinforces the requirement to use the approved digital channel and warns that unauthorised royalty collection can attract legal consequences.
