In a significant move to combat online piracy, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), with the support of the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA), has successfully suspended MovieBox.ng. This website was notorious for streaming pirated content, including movies, music, and live sports from both Nigeria and beyond.
This decisive action comes as part of a renewed campaign by the NCC aimed at tackling online piracy effectively. The suspension, which took effect on Saturday, July 20, 2025, has been praised by various rights owners’ associations within the film, music, and broadcast sectors.
Dr. John Asein, the Director General of the NCC, emphasised that this development showcases the Commission’s dedication to its intensified efforts against online piracy. The NCC’s preliminary report indicated that the website had been operating in a manner suggesting a planned strategy to maintain its piracy operations through clone or fallback domains.
Additionally, the report revealed that the site was employing various mirror domains to evade detection and continue providing access to copyright-protected content, with a domain history linked to recognised piracy efforts.
The Commission expressed gratitude to NiRA for their swift response and called on other players in the online ecosystem, particularly Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other intermediaries, to act responsibly in adhering to takedown notices and blocking directives mandated by the Copyright Act 2022.
In parallel, the NCC is taking proactive measures to deactivate other mirror sites connected to MovieBox.ng. Dr. Asein has urged the public to exercise caution regarding pirate sites that offer free streaming and downloads, warning that these platforms not only violate copyright laws but also expose users to potential risks such as malware, financial scams, identity theft, and various forms of fraud.
Earlier this year, the Copyright Commission initiated the “Stand Together Against Online Piracy” (STOP) campaign, urging all stakeholders—including government agencies, ISPs, telecom operators, and industry leaders—to collaborate as frontline partners to protect creative content and secure the digital future of the nation.
