Movie lovers in Nigeria hoping to stream the latest blockbusters illegally just lost a major outlet. Authorities have taken MovieBox.ng, a popular website notorious for distributing pirated movies, music, and live sports, offline in a coordinated strike against digital copyright theft.
The shutdown, which happened on July 20, 2025, followed a joint effort between the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA). The operation is being hailed as one of the most significant anti‑piracy moves in recent years.
Speaking on the action, NCC boss Dr. John Asein said the takedown was more than just closing a single site. According to him, MovieBox.ng was part of a sophisticated piracy network that constantly created copycat or “mirror” sites to avoid detection. The NCC is now tracking those clones to ensure they are disabled before they can resurface under new names.
NiRA’s swift suspension of the domain was also applauded. Officials are urging internet providers, hosting companies, and online platforms to react just as quickly when they receive verified takedown requests. This rapid response, they say, is key to making sure piracy websites do not simply relocate and resume operations.
Nigeria’s film and music industries have long been battered by piracy, losing billions of naira in potential revenue each year. International studies suggest that up to 70% of profits can vanish to illegal distribution. Beyond the financial blow, piracy erodes investor confidence, shrinks the earnings of creatives, and slows the industry’s growth.
The NCC warns that piracy operations are becoming harder to track because offenders are moving to encrypted apps like Telegram, where they can share massive files quickly and privately. Still, the agency insists that the dismantling of MovieBox.ng sends a clear message that Nigeria’s creative content is not free for the taking.
For now, one of the country’s biggest piracy portals is gone, but the NCC says the battle for online copyright protection is far from over.
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