By Rahim Abdul
The Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) has announced that it will begin distributing Blank Media Levy royalties to eligible creators on July 20, 2026.
The announcement was made through a public notice issued by the society, confirming that preparations for the distribution exercise are at an advanced stage.
According to COSOMA, a total of K1.5 billion will be shared among eligible beneficiaries from different creative sectors across Malawi.
The largest share, amounting to K1 billion, has been allocated to musicians in recognition of their copyrighted works.
Filmmakers will receive K259 million, while K519 million has been set aside for authors and other literary creators.
COSOMA said the distribution is part of its mandate to ensure that creators receive fair compensation for the use and reproduction of their intellectual property.
The Blank Media Levy is collected from the sale or importation of storage devices commonly used to copy copyrighted content, including flash drives and similar digital media.
The levy is intended to compensate copyright holders for private copying of their creative works, helping to support the growth of Malawi’s creative industry.
Eligible artists and creators are expected to receive their payments once the distribution process officially begins on July 20, following the completion of verification procedures.
The planned payout marks one of the country’s largest royalty distributions and is expected to provide financial support to musicians, filmmakers, writers, and other rights holders while promoting respect for intellectual property rights in Malawi.
