DGN Boss Uche Agbo Speaks Out: “Piracy Is Killing Nigeria’s Creative Industry”

The President of the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Uche Agbo, has raised alarm over the persistent operations of MovieBox, a well-known piracy website, despite enforcement actions taken by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).

On July 20, 2025, the NCC, working with the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), successfully took down a major domain linked to MovieBox. The platform had been using clone and mirror domains to dodge legal action while illegally distributing Nigerian films, music, and other creative content.

However, the win was short-lived. MovieBox operators quickly switched to another domain, continuing their illegal operations and once again threatening the livelihood of content creators across Nigeria.

Reacting to the development, Uche Agbo commended the NCC’s efforts but expressed deep concern about the pirates’ tactics. He described the domain switch as a deliberate attempt to avoid accountability while profiting off the hard work of filmmakers, musicians, and creatives.

“Piracy doesn’t just hurt our industry financially,” Agbo said, “it also exposes users to serious dangers like malware, identity theft, and online scams.”

He urged stakeholders—including domain registries, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecom companies, and payment platforms—to work together to permanently block all mirror domains linked to MovieBox. Agbo also appealed to international rights bodies to support Nigeria’s “STOP” anti-piracy campaign and help extend its reach beyond the country’s borders.

Reaffirming the DGN’s commitment, Agbo pledged to continue supporting the NCC’s mission to stamp out piracy, stating firmly:
“We must not allow pirates to destroy Nigeria’s creative economy. The fight must continue.”