Nigeria’s fight against copyright piracy is increasingly moving online, with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) using technology and enforcement measures to disrupt platforms distributing films, music and other creative works illegally.
NCC Director-General, Dr John Asein, said the commission’s efforts under the Copyright Act 2022 had contributed to a decline in piracy, although the agency was still assessing the extent of the impact.
Asein, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday, said the commission did not yet have empirical data to attach a specific figure to the reduction. He, however, maintained that the trend was encouraging.
One example of the commission’s digital enforcement involved a movie piracy website operating with a Nigerian “.ng” domain despite its operators being based in Asia. According to Asein, the NCC shut down the Nigerian domain, after which the operators moved the platform to the Philippines.
The development, he said, demonstrated the increasingly international nature of online piracy and the need for countries to establish effective copyright protection systems.
“This is what happens when you do not put the right guidelines in your country. Then you will have a free-for-all, where rogues will take over legitimate play,” Asein said.
The NCC has also been blocking websites and platforms accused of distributing copyrighted materials illegally. Asein said complaints from users who could no longer access free music and films through piracy platforms showed that the enforcement measures were having an effect.
Beyond the immediate loss of revenue, he warned that piracy could undermine the wider creative economy by making it difficult for creators to recover their investments. It could also discourage new investment and reduce Nigeria’s attractiveness to foreign partners.
The concern is particularly significant as Nigeria’s film and music industries continue to operate across increasingly digital markets. Asein noted that the spread of mobile devices and streaming services offered by telecommunications companies had made copyright protection more important than ever.
He stressed that Nigeria could not allow piracy to undermine its internationally recognised creative industries or leave legitimate creators struggling financially while illegal distributors profit from their work.
The NCC boss called on stakeholders to strengthen measures for protecting creative works and supporting sustainable growth in the sector.
He also pointed to an action plan developed at a recent seminar as a potential framework for advancing the industry as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence anniversary.
For Asein, sustained cooperation among stakeholders and stronger enforcement will be essential if Nigeria’s creative sector is to benefit fully from the growing digital economy.
