The battle for piracy has just become tougher with a partnership reached by Moses Babatope’s Nile Media Entertainment Group and Turkiye-based copyright protection company, DigiGuardians.
The collaboration aims to safeguard the creative rights of filmmakers and distributors in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the Nile Group spokesperson, the partnership arose out of the need to tackle the “rising tide of online piracy in the country.”
“By leveraging DigiGuardians’ advanced technology and expertise, we are setting a new standard in combating piracy, reclaiming lost revenue, and preserving the integrity of our stories.”
Although piracy is a global menace, the Nigerian—and by extension African—film industry suffers an extreme case of it.
Since 1982, when Moses Olaiya’s comedy film “Orun Mooru” had its master celluloid tape stolen and subsequently saw unlicensed screening, piracy has been a flea to the skin of Nollywood.
Economic challenges have all but aided it and illegal digital file-sharing networks— often through apps like Telegram—has become commonplace, leaving producers and distributors struggling to recoup their investments.
A 2021 UNESCO survey revealed that up to 70% of African countries report losing as much as half of their expected revenue due to piracy.
DigiGuardian hopes to utilize its AI technology advanced AI technology, which has a proven track record in combating piracy, to “foster a secure and thriving digital ecosystem that celebrates and elevates African storytelling.”
As the “new Nollywood” continues to flourish by prioritizing quality over quantity, protecting creative rights and securing digital content will be essential, and the Nile Group-DigiGuardian partnership serves as a testament to that commitment.