Court Orders Airtel Nigeria to Pay N210 Million for Unauthorized Use of Mbanefo’s ‘Nigeria Go Survive’ Song

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

Justice Ibrahim Kala ruled that Airtel unlawfully used Mbanefo’s song, Nigeria Go Survive, without her consent. The judgment follows a civil suit filed by the singer in September 2022.

Mbanefo had discovered that Airtel used her song in marketing campaigns for its TV app and *The Voice Nigeria* without authorization. After her initial complaints were denied and met with threats, she engaged legal counsel and filed the suit at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi.

In her letter to Airtel’s CEO, Mbanefo, through her lawyer R. A. Igelige Esq., demanded that the company cease using the song and pay N50 million for unauthorized commercial use. The letter noted that failure to respond within 21 days would lead to legal action.

The court ruling reinforces intellectual property protections in Nigeria’s entertainment sector, sending a strong message to corporations regarding the unauthorized use of creative works.