Get Guardian on GoogleMultiChoice Group, a CANAL+ Company, has welcomed a directive issued by Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on 2 November 2026, reaffirming the rules governing intellectual property rights and the retransmission of audiovisual content in Nigeria.
The directive reinforces a fundamental principle of broadcasting that access to another operator’s signal does not confer the right to retransmit or commercially redistribute its content. It makes clear that operators must obtain the necessary rights and authorisations before retransmitting protected content, and that unauthorised retransmission constitutes a violation of intellectual property rights.
Welcoming the directive, Kemi Omotosho, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, said the NBC’s clarification was an important step towards protecting content creators and rights-holders, while establishing a more orderly and sustainable broadcasting market.
The directive provides important regulatory guidance to the broadcasting industry and reinforces the need to respect intellectual property rights, promote fair competition and maintain a level playing field for legitimate operators. A clear and predictable regulatory framework is essential to encouraging investment in content creation, supporting industry sustainability and strengthening the ecosystem in which creators, rights-holders, broadcasters and audiences operate.
