Enforcement of Copyright Act reducing piracy, says NCC

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has reported that stricter enforcement and implementation of the 2022 Copyright Act has significantly strengthened anti-piracy efforts in Nigeria. Dr. John Asein, Director-General of NCC, shared these insights with the News Agency of Nigeria. The new Act aims to protect digital creations, combat online piracy, and modernize rights for the creative industry.

Asein stated that the commission is working to measure the current level of piracy to determine its impact on Nigeria's creative industry. Although there is no specific figure yet, Asein confirmed that piracy has reduced. He emphasized that piracy hinders creators' ability to monetize their work and recoup investments, discourages content creation, and makes it difficult to attract foreign partners and investors.

The rising digitalization of content has made copyright protection more crucial, as creative works can now be accessed and distributed globally. Asein cited a case where a movie piracy platform registered using a Nigerian ".ng" domain was shut down, and the operators later moved the platform to the Philippines. He stressed that without proper guidelines, piracy can undermine the country's film and music industries.

The commission employs technology to block websites and platforms distributing copyrighted works illegally. Complaints from people who could no longer access free music and movies from illegal platforms indicate the impact of this enforcement. Asein called for stronger protection of copyrighted works as more Nigerians use mobile devices to consume digital content.

He urged stakeholders to develop and respect mechanisms promoting copyright protection and ensuring sustainable growth in the creative industry.