The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on Tuesday convened a national stakeholder engagement on anti-piracy as part of efforts to address the growing impact of unauthorised content distribution on Uganda’s digital economy.

Speaking during the engagement at UCC House, UCC Executive Director George Nyombi Thembo said piracy has moved beyond being only an intellectual property concern and has become an economic, technological, and national development challenge.

The meeting brought together key players from the communications and creative sectors to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation in the fight against piracy and protecting investments made by creators, broadcasters, telecommunications operators, and other industry stakeholders.

According to Thembo, Ugandan creators continue to invest their talent in producing content, while broadcasters invest in programming and telecom operators commit significant resources to building digital infrastructure. However, these investments are affected when content is reproduced, distributed, or accessed without authorisation.

He noted that the effects of piracy extend beyond revenue losses, warning that it can discourage investment, limit innovation, weaken fair competition, and reduce potential government tax revenue.

The UCC Executive Director also highlighted the risks faced by citizens who access content through unauthorised digital applications, including exposure to cyber threats, fraud, and identity theft.

Need for coordinated anti-piracy response

Thembo said piracy requires a coordinated response because Uganda’s communications ecosystem is interconnected and cannot be addressed by a single organisation.

He explained that regulators, law enforcement agencies, technology companies, copyright holders, and tax authorities all have a role to play in developing effective solutions.

The engagement was convened by UCC with the goal of laying the foundation for a structured National Anti-Piracy Coordination Framework that would improve collaboration, information sharing, enforcement, and the use of technology in protecting Uganda’s creative ecosystem.

“Protecting intellectual property is an economic imperative that safeguards jobs, fosters innovation, and builds a digital economy rooted in trust,” Thembo said.

The Commission said the discussions are aimed at moving beyond identifying piracy challenges and focusing on practical partnerships that support Uganda’s social and economic transformation.