MTN Nigeria and Four Others Face Criminal Charges for Alleged Copyright Infringement

 The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has lodged criminal charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four others for alleged copyright infringement. 

Filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja Division under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024, the charges accuse the defendants, including MTN Nigeria's CEO Karl Toriola, of unauthorized use and distribution of musical works by artist Maleke Idowu Moye between 2010 and 2017.

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 The NCC claims that the defendants sold, traded, and offered for sale Maleke's musical works without consent, including using them as Caller Ring Back Tunes, infringing upon the artist's copyrights. 

The accused are also alleged to have distributed the works to subscribers without authorization, violating the Copyright Act.

 As of now, the case awaits assignment to a judge, and no court date has been scheduled.