Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Dr John Asein, called for a unified fight against piracy at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in Lagos over the weekend, warning that the creative sector's future hangs in the balance if intellectual property theft is allowed to flourish.
Sanwo-Olu told hundreds of filmmakers, actors, producers, and directors that their work would be meaningless without action against pirates. "All of the great work you're all doing will amount to nothing if we let piracy take shine out of all of this," he said. The governor acknowledged Africa's growing global influence in film, music, and digital content but expressed deep concern about how piracy drains revenue, discourages investment, and threatens the sector's long-term viability.
The creative industry, Sanwo-Olu argued, is built on extraordinary talent and intellectual capacity that must translate into real economic rewards. He stressed the need to tackle piracy in every form so creators can benefit fully from their labour. "We need to kill piracy in whatever form, shape, because we want you all to be economically sound, to have the full benefit, full economic benefit, of your sweat," he said.
Dr Asein reinforced the message while presenting an award at the 12th edition of the AMVCA. He reminded the audience that piracy threatens not just creativity but the livelihoods of everyone whose talent brings stories to life. The Copyright Commission chief said the strongest defence against piracy is a shared culture of respect for copyright works. He called on all stakeholders, from producers to platforms, to unite in rejecting piracy and copyright abuse in all its forms.
The twin calls for action reflect growing acknowledgment across Nigeria's leadership that copyright protection is vital to the survival and growth of Africa's creative industries. Without it, creators face diminished returns while pirates profit from stolen content, a dynamic that undermines investment in new projects and discourages emerging talent from entering the field.
