Court Orders Airtel to Pay N210m for Unauthorised Use of Veno Marioghae Mbanefo’s Song

“A Federal High Court in Ikoyi has ordered Airtel Nigeria to pay N210 million in damages for unlawfully using veteran singer Veno Marioghae Mbanefo’s song, Nigeria Go Survive, marking a major win for copyright enforcement in Nigeria’s music industry.”

The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered Airtel Nigeria to pay N210 million in damages to veteran singer Veno Marioghae Mbanefo for copyright infringement.

Justice Ibrahim Kala delivered the judgment after finding that the telecommunications company unlawfully used Mbanefo’s song, Nigeria Go Survive, without her consent. The court held that the unauthorised use amounted to a violation of the artiste’s intellectual property rights.

The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by Mbanefo in September 2022, after she discovered that Airtel had allegedly deployed her song in marketing campaigns, including telemarketing promotions, without permission.

In a statement issued at the time, the singer said she contacted her lawyers after confirming that her work was being used to promote Airtel products. According to her, the company denied liability and allegedly issued threats, prompting both criminal and civil actions.

Her legal team petitioned the Nigeria Copyright Commission, which commenced investigations, while a civil suit was filed at the Federal High Court seeking damages and injunctive relief.

Earlier, Mbanefo’s lawyers had written to Airtel’s management, accusing the firm of using Nigeria Go Survive to promote its TV app and The Voice Nigeria without authorisation. The letter demanded that Airtel cease further use of the song and pay N50 million in compensation, warning of legal action if the matter was not resolved amicably.

The court’s decision is being hailed as a landmark victory for artists and a strong signal on the enforcement of copyright and intellectual property rights in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.