Nigerian court dismisses ₦1 billion suit against MTN
In today's Techpoint Digest, we discuss the court dismissal of the ₦1 billion lawsuit against MTN, turning curiosity into a career in tech, and Nigeria cracking down on delayed airtime refunds.
<br />
Bonjour,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Victoria from Techpoint here,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Court dismisses ₦1 billion suit against MTN<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Turning curiosity into a career in tech<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nigeria cracks down on delayed airtime refunds<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nigerian court dismisses ₦1 billion suit against MTN<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MTN<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A ₦1 billion lawsuit against MTN Nigeria has hit a dead end, with a Lagos Federal High Court calling the case speculative, frivolous and not worth pursuing. The dispute centred on claims that the telco copied an idea for its 20th anniversary promotion.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
On Tuesday, Justice Ayokunle Faji dismissed the suit filed by Walls and Gates Ltd and its managing director, Okechukwu Udeichi, who alleged that MTN lifted their “20 for 20” proposal for the company’s 2021 anniversary campaign. The court not only threw out the case but also ordered the plaintiffs to pay ₦3 million in costs to MTN, per a Punch report.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In simple terms, the court found that the plaintiffs failed to prove they had any legal rights over the idea they claimed was stolen. The judge ruled that the proposal was just that — an idea — and Nigerian copyright law protects expressions, not business concepts or promotional themes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
That matters because unsolicited pitches and big corporate campaigns often clash in court, especially when ideas look similar. This ruling reinforces a long-standing legal position: sending a proposal to a company does not automatically create a confidential or contractual relationship, especially when the idea is already in the public domain.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For context, the plaintiffs had submitted the proposal to MTN in 2019 and also circulated it to other organisations, weakening any confidentiality claims. MTN, on its part, argued that its anniversary campaign was independently developed. The court agreed, describing the lawsuit as a “gold-digging exercise” aimed at forcing a commercial relationship on the telecoms giant.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Turning curiosity into a career in tech<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Babatunde Fatai, Manager, Emerging Technologies, MTN Niger...
