The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), has achieved a significant victory in the fight against piracy by securing the suspension of MovieBox.ng, an online platform that streams pirated copyright materials, such as music, movies, and live sports from Nigeria and other countries.
This action comes after the Commission launched a renewed campaign against online piracy, and the suspension, which went into effect on Saturday, July 20, 2025, has been praised by rights owners’ associations in the broadcast, music, and film industries.
Dr. John Asein, the NCC’s Director General, expressed his excitement, saying the development is a tangible indication that the Commission is committed to the fight against online piracy.
According to the Commission’s preliminary findings, the illegal activities point to a concerted effort to maintain pirate operations using backup or clone sites. Additionally, it demonstrated a concerted attempt by the website to avoid discovery and removal by promoting and gaining access to copyright-protected content through various mirror domains and a domain history consistent with recognized pirate operations.
The Commission called on other online participants, particularly Internet service providers and intermediaries, to always act responsibly and quickly to remove notices and blocking directives as required by the Copyright Act 2022. It also thanked NiRA, the Nigerian Registry for the top-level domain, for their responsiveness.
In the interim, the Commission is also taking action to guarantee the deactivation of further platform mirror sites. The Director General has once again cautioned the public against visiting pirate websites that provide free streaming and downloads because they violate copyright and prey on gullible people who might be subjected to identity theft, financial scams, malware, and other fraudulent activities.
