A judge dismissed a ₦1 billion lawsuit against MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and ordered the plaintiffs to pay ₦3 million in legal costs, ending a legal battle that lasted more than two years in the Lagos Federal High Court.
The lawsuit started when Walls and Gates Ltd. and its Managing Director, Okechukwu Udeichi, accused MTN of using their “20 for 20” promotional proposal without authorisation during the company’s 20th anniversary celebrations in 2021.
BrandSpur telecom and information news desk reports that the plaintiffs sought ₦1 billion in damages, claiming that the campaign, which involved giving 20 sport utility vehicles to subscribers, amounted to copyright infringement, breach of confidentiality, and trademark violation.
However, Justice Ayokunle Faji rendered a clear decision on Tuesday, calling the lawsuit “frivolous, speculative, and vexatious.”
The plaintiffs’ proposal amounted to an unsolicited business idea that imposed no contractual or confidential obligation on MTN, according to the court, which concluded that the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate any legally protectable rights.
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The judge noted during the proceedings that the plaintiffs had already put their proposal in the public domain by submitting it to the Nigerian Copyright Commission before sharing it with MTN, and that they were unable to support allegations of trademark infringement.
The court determined that their case was further undermined by the lack of a confidential relationship. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed in its entirety, and the plaintiffs were awarded ₦3 million in costs by the court. This outcome highlights the significance of formal legal protections when presenting business ideas to large corporations.
