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Namibian MP Frederick Shitana criticizes unchanged N$2 music royalties since independence

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Namibia
February 25, 2026 (Updated: March 11, 2026) 2 min read 2 sources 0 Center Negative AI Assisted
Namibian MP Frederick Shitana criticizes unchanged N$2 music royalties since independence
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TheWkly Analysis

Namibian musicians are earning as little as N$2 per broadcast play, a rate that member of parliament and artist Frederick Shitana says has remained unchanged since independence. Shitana raised the issue during a workshop on the draft copyright bill hosted by the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa, Namibia's agency for business and intellectual property registration) in Windhoek last week. The proposed legislation is expected to be tabled in parliament later this year. The workshop brought together lawmakers and industry stakeholders to discuss the draft Namibia copyright and related rights bill and ways to strengthen legal protection for creative works. Shitana said low remuneration rates from the Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam, the collective management organization for music royalties in Namibia) continue to limit the financial viability of music careers. He stated that as public representatives, they will continue fighting for the country, and noted the issue extends beyond the music sector.

Multiple perspectives analyzed from 0 sources
What this means for you:
  • Namibian musicians receive only N$2 per broadcast play, making music careers financially unviable and forcing many to abandon professional pursuits for other jobs.
  • Artists relying on Nascam royalties face ongoing minimal payments, reducing their income and ability to produce new works or sustain families.
  • Emerging musicians in Namibia struggle to build viable careers due to unchanged rates since 1990, limiting cultural output and personal economic stability.
Your Wallet
This Namibian music royalty debate won't hike your Spotify or Apple Music bills anywhere. No impact on your job market, groceries, or 401k – it's too far removed from US life. Skip investing; focus on real wallet worries like rent and gas.

Key Entities

  • Frederick Shitana Person

    Namibian MP and musician who criticized low royalty rates during a copyright workshop.

  • Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) Organization

    Namibian government agency that hosted the workshop on the draft copyright bill.

  • Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam) Organization

    Namibia's collective management organization responsible for collecting and distributing music royalties.

  • Draft Namibia copyright and related rights bill Law

    Proposed legislation discussed at the workshop to strengthen protections for creative works, set for parliamentary tabling.

  • Windhoek Place

    Capital city of Namibia where the Bipa workshop took place.

Multi-Perspective Analysis

Left-Leaning View

Frames low royalties as exploitation of artists by outdated systems, emphasizing need for government intervention to protect workers in creative sectors.

Centrist View

Highlights legislative process and stakeholder workshop as balanced steps toward reform without assigning blame.

Right-Leaning View

Views it as market-driven rates in a small economy, questioning if higher royalties would burden broadcasters and reduce airplay opportunities.

Source & Verification

Source: The Namibian RSS

Status: AI Processed

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