Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Film Authority (NFA), James Gardiner, has reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to combating the illegal broadcast of Nigerian films by some Ghanaian television stations, promising stricter enforcement measures to protect the rights of filmmakers.
Gardiner made the assurance during a discussion with renowned Nollywood producer Uchenna Mbunabo, who expressed concern over what he described as the widespread unauthorised use of Nigerian movies by some television stations in Ghana.
According to Mbunabo, several broadcasters allegedly download Nollywood films from YouTube and air them without obtaining permission from the producers, depriving filmmakers of legitimate revenue.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity. Is it legalized in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?” Mbunabo asked during the conversation, which was also attended by celebrated Ghanaian actress Jackie Appiah.
Responding to the concerns, Gardiner acknowledged that copyright infringement remains a significant challenge within Ghana’s broadcasting industry. However, he stressed that the National Film Authority has already begun working with the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) to strengthen copyright enforcement.
He explained that one of the biggest challenges facing regulators is that many television stations now operate digitally without maintaining physical offices in Ghana, making it more difficult to monitor their activities and enforce existing laws.
“There are copyright laws, but they are not effective because a lot of the TV stations don’t have offices. Most of them are now digital, so they operate from anywhere. They can even have a Ghanaian TV station but be operating from Austria simply because it is digital,” Gardiner stated.
To address the growing problem, the NFA is considering reforms to Ghana’s broadcasting regulatory framework. According to Gardiner, the proposed changes will introduce stricter licensing requirements and improve the Authority’s ability to monitor broadcasters and enforce compliance with copyright regulations.
He disclosed that television stations found guilty of illegally broadcasting copyrighted content could face a range of sanctions, including financial penalties, suspension of their operating licences and, for repeat offenders, permanent revocation of their licences.
Gardiner added that fines collected from offending broadcasters could be used to compensate filmmakers whose intellectual property rights have been violated.
Mbunabo welcomed the proposed reforms but urged the National Film Authority to act swiftly, arguing that continued piracy undermines the livelihoods of filmmakers and makes it difficult for producers to recover production costs through legitimate distribution platforms such as YouTube.
He clarified that his concerns were not directed at Ghana’s film industry as a whole, noting that he has collaborated with several Ghanaian actors over the years and remains a strong advocate for partnerships between Nollywood and Ghallywood.
Gardiner concluded by reiterating the National Film Authority’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights, promoting ethical broadcasting practices and ensuring that filmmakers receive fair compensation for their creative work.
The renewed commitment by the NFA has been welcomed by many stakeholders in the African film industry, who believe stronger copyright enforcement will encourage investment, protect creative works and strengthen collaboration between filmmakers across the continent.
