MultiChoice Nigeria has called for a collective effort to tackle the scourge of anti-piracy on the growth of the creative economy in Nigeria as it commemorates the April 26 World Intellectual Property Day.
In a statement issued on Friday, the company urged the government and stakeholders to unify against piracy in a bid to foster the growth of the creative industry in Nigeria. MultiChoice reiterated its commitment to engineering a decline in public acceptance of pirated content by embarking on a public education campaign to raise public consciousness.
According to the statement, there is an extensive link between the prevalent patronage of counterfeit goods and organised crime, while users of pirated content are likely to be more vulnerable to cybersecurity risks.
The statement reads partly, “A 2009 study conducted by RAND corporation found extensive links between film piracy, organised crime and terrorist groups. The purchase of any kind of counterfeit goods can be traced to organised crime. Stolen content may be entertaining, but it is being used to fund the most harmful, grotesque crimes on the planet, including human trafficking, terrorism, gambling, drug dealing and child pornography.
“The use of illegally pirated content such as films, series, music, etc opens online users to very real personal risks, such as malware, identity theft, fraud and financial ruin. However, the most critical risk is that it makes them complicit in international crimes destroying millions of lives.
“Other destructive impacts of content piracy are that the creative industry suffers from lost jobs and income; audiences suffer due to reduced choice; while the industry and the entire economy suffers through discouraged investment. Culturally, content piracy also robs African creatives of the opportunity to tell their own stories.”
According to the statement, as part of the company’s drive to reverse piracy trends in Nigeria, it is set to roll out informative clips in partnership with the Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, and the Nigerian Communication Commission. The clipswill spotlight existing legislations and ongoing regulatory initiatives designed to curtail piracy in Nigeria.
Recall that in November 2023, MultiChoice held its anti-piracy workshop which hosted journalists, regulators, content creators and other stakeholders in a bid to devise and proffer sustainable solutions to the perennial challenge.
