News
FAAN, NCC Partner to Combat Copyright Piracy
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) have committed to the development and implementation of a national anti-piracy strategy to address the sale of pirated books, films, music and other copyright infringing materials in and around the nation’s local and international airports.
Both Federal agencies agreed to work out the modalities for sustained proactive enforcement to ensure that the interest of right owners are adequately protected in line with the Federal Government policy of guaranteeing adequate return on investment and growing the creative sector.
Captain Rabiu Yadudu, managing director, FAAN, and Mr. John O. Asein, director-general, NCC, disclosed this recently, during a consultative meeting held at FAAN Headquarters, in Ikeja, Lagos.
Captain Yadudu gave firm assurance that FAAN would partner with NCC to ensure that its premises do not become a safe haven for copyright criminals.
He reiterated the commitment of FAAN to support NCC in its renewed fight against piracy in Nigeria.
According to him, “We are committed as Government agencies to protect public interest even in copyright matters and we owe a duty to assist each other in executing our mandates.
“The legal and commercial teams of FAAN will be deployed to assist NCC to strengthen its enforcement actions at airports across the country”.
While decrying the pervasive piracy in all copyright sectors, the FAAN MD urged right owners and other stakeholders in the industry to address the challenges in the distribution networks so as to make genuine copyright works more readily available in the market.
Earlier, Mr. Asein had expressed concern at the high volume of pirated materials at the nation’s airport and the negative impact of this, not only on the fortunes of right owners but also on the nation’s image.
He stressed that the criminal activities of a small percentage of Nigerians were capable of distorting the country’s image as a land of talented, industrious and law-abiding people.
Mr. Asein noted with regret that the activities of pirates have adversely affected the educational sector and threatened the book industry.
According to the Director General, some of the authors whose books were highly pirated included those of Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; former Presidents like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as well as renowned authors like Olusegun Adeniyi.
Explaining the commitment of NCC to ridding Nigeria of reckless distribution of pirated materials, he remarked that his agency in collaboration with relevant sister agencies, would intensify efforts at different production, distribution and sales points; at border posts; air and sea ports; hotels, malls and other public places; and on the streets, as part of a comprehensive action plan against all forms of piracy and copyright abuses.
He added, “The Commission needs FAAN as well as other regulatory and enforcement agencies as key partners in its renewed drive to curb wanton copyright infringement in Nigeria.
“We are committed to full implementation of our mandate for sustainable growth of the creative industry. With your support, copyright piracy will not thrive under our watch”.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Lawrence Aladesuyi, Chairman of the Anti-Piracy Committee of Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), described the inter-agency initiative as a proactive effort which would stem the tide of piracy in Nigeria and change the negative image that pirates were creating for the country.
Observing that piracy kills creativity and the creative industry as well as denies Government of legitimate revenue since pirates evade tax payment, Mr. Aladesuyi urged FAAN to explore its partnership with NCC to stamp out piracy outlets in all their platforms.
He assured of the support of NPA for what he described as “a long awaited, laudable initiative”.
A copyright stakeholder, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, while commending the initiative, denounced the pervasive onslaught of copyright piracy, not only at the airports, but in all places in the country: shopping malls, bookshops, hotels and on the streets.
“I am in constant dialogue with the DG of NCC and willing to assist the ongoing efforts to check piracy in the interest of the creative industry”, he added.
Mr. Bankole Olayebi, managing director, Bookcraft Limited, Ibadan, remarked that piracy was damaging the interests of authors, publishers and the ownership of intellectual property (IP) in Nigeria, thereby undermining the development of the country on a sustainable basis.
He added, “Bookcraft, on behalf of other stakeholders, appreciates the efforts of NCC towards the protection of right owners and the copyright based industries.
“We support the inter-agency collaboration for enhanced copyright protection in the country”, he stated.
Southeast Asia cybercrime networks are expanding operations into Africa as crackdowns intensify in the subregion, according to a recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The massive, unintended geographic shift triggered by intense pressure from international task forces in Myanmar and Cambodia,have seen highly sophisticated criminal networks now establishing footholds in major tech hubs across Kenya and Nigeria, transforming local technical talent into accomplices for industrial-scale digital theft as reported by https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/
This strategic migration represents a critical evolution in the $17 billion crypto scam economy.
Transnational scam syndicates are organized criminal networks that run industrial-scale online fraud using trapped or trafficked labor.
The UNODC has documented this diversification, noting that African nations are increasingly targeted as operational bases due to robust internet infrastructure and a surplus of unemployed tech workers.
In response, local authorities are engaged in a frantic game of catch-up against well-funded foreign cartels.
Recall that in 2025, UNODC, described the shift as part of a broader trend in which crime “spreads like a cancer,” into regions with weaker enforcement and limited digital safeguards.
The report pointed to the rapid proliferation of online fraud operations, including cryptocurrency scams and phishing schemes, moving from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia into new footholds in Africa—particularly Nigeria.
A recent case publicized June 12, 2025 by the WeChat public account West Africa Chinese Voice illustrates the trend: Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 177 Chinese nationals in Lagos and Abuja between December 2024 and January 2025.
The suspects were allegedly running scam centers under the guise of corporate offices, where local Nigerians were trained to carry out online investment frauds—many following the “pig-butchering” model, which builds trust with victims before luring them into fraudulent crypto investments.
Authorities seized hundreds of SIM cards, high-performance computers, and prewritten scam scripts during the raids
Ugochukwu Eze, a 47 year-old man, was on Thursday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank to steal a total of N800m.
Ugochukwu also known as Amazon, was arraigned before the court by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
DSS accused Ugochukwu of fraudulently hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank to remove and divert the sum of N800 million into several accounts in other financial institutions.
M. Bajela,prosecuting counsel, DSS, in the charges filed before the court alleged that the defendant and others now at large, between 2023 and 2026, conspired among themselves and unlawfully and seriously hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system server and in the process fraudulently diverted over N800 million belonging to the bank.
Ugochukwu was also accused of concealing and transferring various sums of money traced to the unlawful cyber-attacks to some account in some financial institutions.
The offences alleged to have been committed by the defendant according to the prosecutor contravened sections 5; 6(1) and 8 of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2024. And Sections 10, 20 and 18(2)(D) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Based on his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, and prayed the court to remand the defendant in the facility of the correctional services pending the time trial will commence.
However, E. Afrogha, defendant’s lawyer, told the court that she has filed her client’s bail application. adding that her client has been in the DSS custody for over a month.
But the prosecution counsel told the court that he has not been served with the bail application, not withstanding that his witnesses are available.
Based on the counsels’ submissions, Justice Friday Ogazi, presiding judge, adjourned the matter to August 24,2026 for hearing of the bail application.
The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) pending the hearing of the bail application.
One of the counts against the defendant reads: “That you UGOCHUKWU EZE (AKA AMAZON) (M) (47 YEARS) sometime between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos, and other places within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, unlawfully seriously hindered the function of SunTrust Bank Plc’s computer system, and in the process fraudulently diverted over N800, 000,000.00 (Eight Hundred Million Naira) belonging to the said SunTrust Bank thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc.) Act, 2024.”
Liquid Intelligent Technologies is using light-beam technology developed by Google spinout Taara to supply data centres and large enterprise networks in Lagos, addressing the high costs and delays of laying underground fibre in dense urban corridors.
The deployment includes nearly 12 live optical links serving banks, hotels, and utilities across commercial districts, proving optical technology can supplement traditional physical infrastructure where trenching cables is impractical.
High-capacity bandwidth is being distributed directly from points of presence at Africa Data Centres and other Lagos facilities to enterprises beyond the reach of fibre cables.
This reduces network downtime in areas where physical cable cuts take days to repair. The rollout follows a two-year deployment by Liquid to strengthen network resilience for local internet service providers.
Nigeria remains one of the largest economies on the continent, with Lagos acting as its primary commercial hub. Expanding network infrastructure across dense urban environments requires operators to blend multiple technologies.
Using focused beams of light transmitted through the air, the technology allows operators to establish links within days rather than weeks, complementing existing physical networks.
Liquid is now assessing expansion into Abuja, Ibadan, and Kano.
“For Liquid, deployment speed has been one of the most significant advantages,” said Eugene Uka, acting chief executive officer of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Nigeria.
He added: “Traditional fibre deployments are not always a possibility, especially across difficult terrains. Taara links can often be installed and activated within hours, allowing Liquid to fulfil its mission to create a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind.”
Bhavesh Mistry, regional lead for Taara in Africa, commented: “As demand for connectivity continues to grow, operators need more flexibility in how they expand and reinforce their networks.
“Fibre remains an essential part of modern communications infrastructure, and will for some time, but there are many situations where deploying fibre quickly or cost-effectively can be difficult. Wireless optical communication gives operators another tool to extend capacity, reach customers faster, and build more resilient networks without compromising performance.”
The Taara Lightbridge system delivers up to 20 gigabits per second of capacity across distances up to 20 kilometres using invisible light beams.
The platform avoids trenching, spectrum licensing, or extensive civil engineering work. Taara claims its system is active in more than 20 countries with telecommunications operators, including T-Mobile, Airtel, Digicel, Liquid, and SoftBank.
Fleeing Southeast Asia Scam Syndicates Find New Homes in Nigeria, Kenya- Report
DSS Arraigns Eze for Allegedly Hacking, Stealing N800m from SunTrust Bank
SEC Unveils Probate/Unclaimed Monies Clinic to Help Families Recover Inherited Investments
We have Multiple Layers of Protection for 281m Accounts in Nigeria – NDIC
NCC Asks Telcos to Make Budgetary Provisions for Cybersecurity
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
How EFCC Turned Recovered Loot Into School Supplies for Thousands of Nigerian Students
BVN Enrollments Hit 69.55m- NIBSS
E-Business2 days agoKaspersky Reveals a New Malicious Framework Targeting Cryptocurrency Users with the Use of OkoSpyware
E-Business2 days agoCMS T&M Launches TMO Rides to Enable a Faster & Cashless Transport Experience for CMS – Ajah Passengers
E-Business2 days agoFirm to recruit over 100 professionals to boost NRS e-Invoicing compliance
E-Business2 days agoNigeria Tightens Data Privacy Compliance as FG Issues Directive to MDAs
Telecom2 days agoFG Commences 90,000km Fibre Optic Rollout within Weeks
E-Financial1 day agoAccess Holdings Deepens Sustainable Finance Impact, Expanding Green Assets to ₦92.14 Billion
Telecom2 days agoDimension Data to Channel Funds to Support Nigerian Fibre Expansion
Telecom2 days agoTreepz Partners with CMS T&M to Digitize Public Transportation for Millions of Lagos Commuters