Worried at the growing threats of digital piracy and unlicensed streaming platforms in undermining Nigeria’s creative economy, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are set to join forces to tackle the menace.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Worried at the growing threats of digital piracy and unlicensed streaming platforms in undermining Nigeria’s creative economy, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are set to join forces to tackle the menace.
This was disclosed in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the NFVCB Executive Director/CEO, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, to NCC headquarters. Husseini who commended the regulator’s achievements in the communications sector, warned of new risks posed by online platforms. He identified the piracy of Nigerian films on encrypted platforms such as Telegram, as a huge threat to the industry.
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“One of the most disturbing trends today is the piracy of Nigerian films on encrypted platforms such as Telegram. This criminal activity robs stakeholders of their earnings, discourages quality content creation, and undermines national security,” Husseini said.
He alerted that some telecom operators now run streaming services without securing the required NFVCB licenses for film exhibition and distribution, stressing that the exercise exposes Nigerians to unclassified and unregulated content.
To address this, Husseini called for a joint technical committee involving NFVCB, NCC, and the Nigerian Copyright Commission to harmonize oversight and ensure operators comply with licensing requirements.
Responding on behalf of the NCC, Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, assured the NFVCB of the Commission’s readiness to partner. She revealed that both agencies will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to fast-track interventions.
Makama further noted NCC’s existing framework on Child Online Protection and pledged to investigate cases of unlicensed telecom streaming and piracy on Telegram, describing the latter as “a form of cybercrime.”
Dr. Husseini stressed that Nigeria’s film industry remains both a cultural asset and an economic driver. “Protecting it is in our collective national interest,” he said, adding that the NFVCB-NCC alliance would secure a safer digital ecosystem and a fairer marketplace for Nigerian creatives.
