The Nation Newspaper

Tag: The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC)

  • Nigeria loses billions to piracy, NCC reveals

    Nigeria loses billions to piracy, NCC reveals

    •MultiChoice sensitises youth

    Multichoice Nigeria has intensified efforts to curb intellectual property theft with an anti-piracy sensitisation programme for teenagers at Kuramo Senior College, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.

    Speaking at the event, Lynda Alphaeus, a director at the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), said Nigeria loses billions of naira annually to piracy, a loss many Nigerians underestimate despite its far-reaching impact on the creative sector.

    “It not only affects the monetary value that would have gone to the creators; it also affects the economy generally because those who would have been employed by those creators are not being employed in the fashion industry, arts, or different types of categories,” she said.

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    Alphaeus stressed that the effects cascade beyond creators. When creative revenues collapse due to piracy, jobs are lost before they are even created. She added that engaging teenagers is strategic, noting that “when children have a change of mindset, a part of the war is already won.”

    Caroline Oghuma, Executive Head of Corporate Affairs, at MultiChoice, reaffirmed this position, stating that the company remains committed to public education on piracy.

    “Piracy is not a victimless act; and the fight against piracy must begin in classrooms. The future of Nollywood, Nigerian music and other forms of creative expression lies in the hands of these young people. If they learn to respect creativity now, they’ll help secure the future of our creative economy.” she said.

    In recent years, a UNESCO report estimated that between 50 and 70% of revenue in Nigeria’s film market is lost to piracy, a staggering figure in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries. It is this reality that makes the fight against piracy urgent, and why initiatives like MultiChoice’s sensitisation remain critical in safeguarding the future of Nigerian storytelling.

  • NCC seizes pirated books worth N20m

    NCC seizes pirated books worth N20m

    The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has raided book outlets in the Boundary Area of Lagos State and seized pirated books worth N20m.

    During the operation, the commission inspected several bookshops and warehouses suspected of housing pirated books; and items identified as pirated works were seized.

    According to NCC Director General, Dr. John Asein, it is no longer business for pirating books or other intellectual propertied, while emphasising that “Piracy is a punishable offense; anyone found guilty will face the full extent of the law”.

    Speaking on operation, the Director, Lagos Office, Mrs Lynda Alphaeus who represented the Director General, said the exercise was part of the Commission’s efforts to reduce piracy to the barest minimum.

    She further stated that the exercise was in continuation of the Director General’s determination to sanitize and rid the entire country of pirated books, adding that the Director General NCC Dr John Asein has zero tolerance for all forms of copyright infringement.

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    She revealed that suspected pirated books with an estimated market value of N20 million were seized from the raided outlets.

    According to her, five suspected bookshops on Ojora Lane and Calabar Road in Boundary, Ajegunle area of Lagos State were raided during the operation led by the Deputy Director & Head of Operations, Lagos Office, Mr Charles Amudipe, with a team of Copyright officers, backed by armed soldiers.

    She stated that “during the operation, we inspected several bookshops and warehouses suspected of housing pirated books around the Ajegunle market. Items identified as pirated works were seized.”

    The NCC Lagos Office Director noted that some shop owners attempted to resist the NCC officials during the raid. “Thanks to the support of the Nigerian Army, the situation was managed peacefully, allowing our team to complete the operation smoothly. The anti-piracy raid is a clear signal that the commission has intensified its enforcement activities. We are warning booksellers, schools, printers, and all those involved in copyright materials that piracy in any form will not be tolerated,” she said.

    Mrs Alphaeus also mentioned that the confiscated pirated books included publications from Macmillan, Oxford, and several other prominent publishers. Emphasising the Commission’s zero tolerance for piracy and other copyright violations, the Director charged operators of sales outlets for copyright works to always stock genuine products.“In the last five years, we have renewed our commitment to the fight against piracy, and no efforts would be spared in discovering and apprehending those involved in these heinous crimes, irrespective of their status and locations,” she warned.