Entertainment
Published ByMichael Adesina
Date15th July, 2026
Quick Read
The National Film Authority, NFA, is considering tougher sanctions following allegations that some Ghanaian broadcasters download Nollywood films from YouTube and show them to viewers without authorisation or payment.
Television stations in Ghana could lose their broadcasting licences for airing Nigerian movies without permission from the producers and copyright owners.
The National Film Authority, NFA, is considering tougher sanctions following allegations that some Ghanaian broadcasters download Nollywood films from YouTube and show them to viewers without authorisation or payment.
James Gardiner, a Ghanaian actor and deputy executive secretary of the NFA, disclosed the proposed crackdown while responding to complaints from Nigerian filmmaker Uchenna Mbunabo.
Mbunabo accused the television stations of profiting from the work of Nigerian producers without obtaining the necessary broadcasting rights.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity,” he said.
“Is it legalised in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?”
Responding to the allegation, Gardiner admitted that copyright infringement had become a persistent problem within Ghana’s broadcasting industry.
He said the NFA was working with the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority and the National Media Commission to strengthen enforcement and punish defaulting broadcasters.
According to him, the rapid growth of digital television stations has made enforcement more difficult.
Gardiner explained that some of the stations operate from outside Ghana and do not maintain physical offices in the country, making it harder for regulators to track their activities and enforce copyright rules.
He revealed that Ghanaian authorities were considering revoking existing broadcasting licences and requiring television stations to submit fresh applications under stricter conditions.
If implemented, the measure could compel broadcasters to prove that they possess the necessary rights to the films and other copyrighted content shown on their platforms.
The proposed crackdown is expected to offer greater protection to Nigerian filmmakers whose productions are allegedly being broadcast without their knowledge or financial compensation.
