The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged a coalition of various stakeholders to join forces in combating online piracy. This call was made by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, at the National Seminar on Copyright, Cybersecurity and Nigeria’s Creative and Digital Economy. The seminar, organised by the Nigerian Copyright Commission, aimed to address the threats and trends of digital piracy in the country.
Fagbemi stated that the scale and technical sophistication of digital piracy made it impossible for enforcement agencies to tackle it alone. He noted that piracy has evolved from physical reproduction to borderless operations where offenders conceal their identities and proceeds. The minister emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral coalition to effectively combat digital piracy.
The proposed coalition would comprise security agencies, telecommunications operators, digital platforms, broadcasters, payment gateways, domain registries, and rights holders. Fagbemi stressed that the Copyright Act of 2022 provides a modern legal foundation for combating piracy, but its success depends on structured multi-agency implementation. He urged stakeholders to transition from policy discussions to practical execution.
The seminar also aimed to develop an operational framework to assign institutional duties, establish real-time intelligence sharing, and set standard procedures for removing and blocking infringing content. This framework, known as the Abuja Copyright Action Plan, is expected to enhance the fight against online piracy. The Nigerian Copyright Commission is taking steps to measure current piracy levels under the 2022 law.
The NCC Director-General, Dr John Asein, cited a recent case where the commission intervened to shut down an illicit platform, MovieBox, linked to Asian operators. The platform had adopted a .ng domain to appear local, but after NCC intervention, the operators relocated their infrastructure to the Philippines. Asein cautioned against relying on an unverified 2019 estimate of $3 billion in industry losses.
Dr Oluwatobiloba Moody, Director of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Nigeria, noted that pirate platforms often expose consumers to cybersecurity threats and malware. He reaffirmed WIPO’s support through capacity building and technical frameworks, including WIPO ALERT, a secure platform for sharing data on infringing domains.
The fight against online piracy requires collaboration and a multi-stakeholder approach. The Federal Government’s call for a coalition aims to bring together various stakeholders to protect Nigeria’s creative and digital economy. The success of this initiative depends on effective implementation and cooperation among stakeholders.
Key points
- The Federal Government has called for a coalition to combat online piracy and protect the creative and digital economy.
- The proposed coalition would comprise security agencies, telecommunications operators, digital platforms, and private stakeholders.
- The Nigerian Copyright Commission is developing an operational framework to enhance the fight against online piracy.
