A number of.ng domain names have been suspended by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) for allegedly operating extensive online music piracy operations including both foreign and Nigerian music.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) requested the action, which was implemented in cooperation with the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA), which is in charge of managing the.ng domain.
The impacted websites—val9ja.com.ng, tunesloaded.com.ng, voxnaija.com.ng, music.360media.com.ng, medianub.com.ng, naijalevels.com.ng, and mp3juice.com.ng—were taken offline by their registrars after it was discovered that they were disseminating unlawful music and audiovisual works.
The NCC’s Special Taskforce against Online Piracy (STOP) claims that the websites were unlawfully disseminating copyrighted material, depriving investors and producers of income, and undermining respectable online platforms.
The intervention, according to the commission, is a part of its continuous enforcement efforts under the Copyright Act 2022, which gives it the authority to look into and stop online copyright infractions on websites, streaming services, and digital distribution channels.
According to Dr. John Asein, Director-General of the NCC, the suspension of the domains makes it clear that Nigeria would not put up with online piracy. He assured rights holders that the NCC is collaborating with both domestic and foreign partners to bolster anti-piracy initiatives while praising NiRA and the participating registrars.
The Commission is still ready to take action against all copyright violators in order to safeguard Nigeria’s creative economy, he said, urging the public to report questionable websites via stop.copyright.gov.ng.
“To protect Nigeria’s creative space and its digital future, the Nigerian Copyright Commission remains watchful and fully prepared to take decisive action against all forms of copyright infringement,” Asein stated.
