Jide Kosoko Calls for Tougher Anti-Piracy Laws to Protect Nollywood’s Future

• Kosoko highlighted the negative impact of piracy on filmmakers and the insufficient legal remedies in a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast.

Veteran Nollywood actor Jide Kosoko has spoken out against the ongoing threat of piracy in Nigeria’s film industry, urging for more severe legal consequences to protect filmmakers and their intellectual property.

During a recent appearance on The Honest Bunch podcast, Kosoko expressed frustration over the minimal impact of existing copyright laws, which he believes are far too lenient to deter offenders. Drawing from over 50 years in the industry, he shared how piracy has significantly affected his earnings, despite his long-standing contributions to Nollywood.

“The punishment in the copyright law for piracy is still not strong enough as far as I am concerned,” Kosoko stated. “Somebody who has been pirating people’s works for years is a billionaire, so how much do you want to fine him? Fine him N500 million, and he will just bring it out of what he has sold,”

He argued that financial penalties alone aren’t effective against such offenders and proposed that harsher, jail-term-based sentences would have a stronger deterrent effect.

“But if you attach a 20-year jail sentence to it with no option of a fine, people will refrain from piracy,” he stated.

Kosoko’s comments shed light on a persistent issue in Nollywood, where piracy continues to erode the profits and livelihoods of creatives, even as the industry gains international acclaim. His call for legislative reform underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement mechanisms that truly protect intellectual property rights.

As conversations around copyright protection intensify, Kosoko’s stance may serve as a rallying point for industry stakeholders seeking meaningful change to ensure that creative professionals receive fair rewards for their work.