The Nigerian government has shut down MovieBox.ng, a website known for illegally streaming movies, music, and live sports content.
The shutdown was carried out by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in partnership with the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA). The action took effect on July 20, 2025.
NCC Director-General, Dr. John Asein, announced the development in a statement on Thursday. He described the move as a significant step in the fight against online piracy in Nigeria.
“This shutdown is part of a wider effort to tackle digital copyright infringement. The platform operated using multiple mirror domains linked to known piracy networks,” Asein said.
He stressed the importance of cooperation among internet stakeholders in enforcing copyright laws in the digital space.
The move has been widely welcomed by content creators and rights holders in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, which is currently valued at \$4 billion and projected to reach \$13.6 billion by 2028, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
The NCC has vowed to continue cracking down on illegal platforms threatening the growth of Nigeria’s creative sector.