Bimbo Ademoye cries out over piracy as YouTube demonetises movie
The Ripples Nigeria article reports that Nollywood actress and producer Bimbo Ademoye has publicly protested after her film Where Love Lives was demonetised on YouTube following what she says was a false copyright claim tied to a song used in the movie. The film had earned over 18 million views before the issue, and Ademoye described the demonetisation as both frustrating and harmful to creators who depend on digital platforms for revenue.
She alleges that the claim was submitted wrongfully by another individual despite the music having been legally licensed, raising concerns about the ease with which copyright systems can be abused to disrupt creators’ earnings. Other Nollywood producers, she said, have faced similar problems, particularly with piracy and questionable copyright strikes affecting online revenue streams.
Ademoye’s complaint has sparked wider discussion in the Nigerian film community about strengthening protections, clearer enforcement mechanisms, and greater accountability from platforms like YouTube to prevent piracy and unjust takedown actions. As more Nollywood films rely on digital distribution for global reach, the incident underscores ongoing threats to industry sustainability from online piracy and misuse of copyright systems.
