NCC's Dr. Asein Reports Significant Piracy Reduction Efforts

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has stated that the increased enforcement and implementation of the new Copyright Act has significantly bolstered anti-piracy efforts in Nigeria. Dr. John Asein, the Director-General of NCC, mentioned in an interview on Tuesday in Abuja that the Copyright Act 2022 aims to protect digital creations and combat online piracy.

While there is no empirical data to quantify the reduction in piracy, Asein noted that it has decreased. He highlighted the detrimental effects of piracy on the creative industry, as it hampers creators' ability to monetize their works and discourages new content creation.

Asein cited a case where a movie piracy platform registered under a Nigerian domain was taken down, although the operators relocated to the Philippines. He stressed the necessity of copyright protection in an increasingly digital landscape, especially as telecommunications companies begin offering streaming services.

Asein called for stronger protections for copyrighted works as mobile device usage for content consumption rises.