The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has launched a crackdown on online piracy, leading to the immediate suspension of several popular .NG domain names, including tunesloaded and music.360media.
The commission confirmed that these platforms were involved in the massive, illegal distribution of copyrighted sound recordings and audiovisual works, severely undermining the creative economy of the country.
The enforcement was carried out by NCC’s Special Taskforce against Online Piracy (STOP) in collaboration with the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA).
NCC Director-General, Dr. John Asein, stated that the crackdown followed a formal request by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) regarding rampant copyright infringement in the music sector.
The domains suspended for illegally sharing unlicensed music belonging to Nigerian and foreign rights holders include: tunesloaded.com.ng, music.360media.com.ng, val9ja.com.ng, toxniaja.com.ng, medianub.com.ng, naijalevels.com.ng, mp3juice.com.ng.
According to the NCC, the activities of these pirate websites directly undermine legitimate digital platforms and deprive creators and investors of billions in potential revenue, hindering investment in one of the fastest-growing sectors of Nigeria
The Commission’s Special Taskforce against Online Piracy (STOP) said the websites were confirmed to be engaging in blatant copyright infringement by illegally sharing unlicensed music and audiovisual works belonging to Nigerian and foreign rights holders – NCC
Dr. John Asein stressed that the agency is relentless to resolve piracy issues and also continue to the enforcement of its operations. He stressed that the suspension of the ‘.ng’ domains shows how intolerable the country is towards digital piracy, to ensure a safe, lawful, and thriving digital environment for Nigeria’s creative economy.
The NCC also appealed to the public to report any suspicious platforms or online piracy activities to the commission via their dedicated portal: stop.copyright.gov.ng.
