Copyright Commission and NCC Collaborate to Combat Online Piracy

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to combating online piracy in Nigeria’s creative industry.

Mrs. Ijeoma Egbunike, Director of Public Affairs at the Copyright Commission, quoted Director-General Dr. John Asein during a courtesy visit to the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, in Abuja.

Dr. Asein highlighted the renewed collaboration between the two agencies to protect Nigeria’s creative economy from the growing threat of online piracy. He praised the NCC’s leadership in driving digital transformation and fostering a safe online environment for creativity to thrive.

“Online piracy poses a significant threat and undermines the efforts of authors and investors. We want to secure our online environment and guarantee Nigeria’s digital future,” Asein said.

The partnership aims to address both local and international challenges by developing regulatory measures for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and intermediaries, ensuring compliance with the Copyright Act 2022, and supporting government policies that promote the creative sector.

Asein also underscored the importance of defining the roles and responsibilities of ISPs and intermediaries under the new Copyright Act. He presented the Draft Copyright Enforcement Guidelines for ISPs and called for NCC’s support in operationalizing the document.

He further proposed establishing an inter-agency task force and a multi-stakeholder forum—including ISPs, regulators, and enforcement bodies—to protect copyrights. He also recommended developing a Code of Practice for ISPs with clear obligations and accountability.

In response, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by Executive Commissioner Mrs. Rimini Makama, commended the Copyright Commission’s efforts against illegal digital platforms and welcomed the push for deeper collaboration.

Maida emphasized the urgency of addressing online piracy and expressed support for early signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies. He assured that the NCC would review the Draft Copyright Enforcement Guidelines for further action.