The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have announced a planned partnership to eradicate digital piracy and clamp down on unlicensed streaming platforms.
The collaboration was set in motion during a meeting at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, where the NFVCB delegation, led by Shaibu Husseini, its executive director, outlined the escalating threats posed by the digital space to the film sector.
Husseini praised the NCC’s “regulatory prowess” but highlighted the urgent need for a united front against new-age copyright infringements.
He identified piracy on encrypted messaging platforms and the operation of unlicensed streaming services by telecom companies as primary concerns.
He noted that while the NFVCB regulates films and video works through censorship, classification, and licensing, the rapid expansion of digital platforms has created new threats to Nigeria’s creative economy.
“One of the most disturbing trends today is the piracy of Nigerian films on encrypted platforms such as Telegram,” he said.
“This criminal activity robs our stakeholders of their earnings, discourages quality content creation, and undermines national security.”
He further expressed alarm that some telecom operators are streaming films without the mandatory distribution and exhibition licenses from the NFVCB.
This practice, he warned, exposes the public to unclassified and unregulated content, posing potential cultural and security risks.
To address the issues, Husseini urged the NCC to collaborate with the Nigerian Copyright Commission, and the NFVCB to combat piracy on encrypted platforms.
He also sought the assistance of the commission to request telecom operators to obtain NFVCB’S distribution and exhibition licenses before streaming films.
The executive director urged the commission to
set up a joint technical committee to harmonise regulatory oversight.
Responding on behalf of the NCC, Rimini Makama, the executive commissioner for stakeholder management, welcomed the initiative and assured the NFVCB of the commission’s full cooperation.
She revealed that both agencies are set to formalize their alliance through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enable swift action against future infractions.
Makama further briefed the delegation about NCC’s existing framework on child online protection and pledged to investigate reports of unlicensed streaming by telecommunications companies and piracy on Telegram, describing the latter as “a form of cybercrime”.
Husseini emphasised that Nigeria’s film industry is both a cultural treasure and an economic driver.
“Protecting it is in our collective national interest,” he said, adding that the NFVCB-NCC partnership would ensure a safer digital ecosystem and a fair marketplace for creative talents.
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