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Court Orders Airtel to Pay ₦210 Million for Using Mbanefo’s Song Without Permission

Published by admin on January 26th, 2026.

Court Orders Airtel to Pay ₦210 Million for Using Mbanefo’s Song Without Permission

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered Airtel Nigeria to pay ₦210 million in damages to veteran singer, Veno Marioghae Mbanefo, over the unauthorised use of her popular song, *“Nigeria Go Survive.”*

The judgment was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Kala, who ruled that the telecommunications company violated Mbanefo’s copyright by using her song in its promotions without her consent. The court described the action as a clear case of intellectual property abuse and a major win for artists in Nigeria.

The singer had taken Airtel to court in September 2022 after discovering that her song was being used to advertise the company’s services, including its TV app and *The Voice Nigeria*, without approval. She said that after noticing the misuse, she contacted her lawyer, Rockson Igelige, who wrote to Airtel to demand an explanation. However, instead of addressing the complaint, the company allegedly denied wrongdoing and threatened legal action against her.

Following this, Mbanefo reported the matter to the Nigerian Copyright Commission, which began an investigation. At the same time, her legal team filed a civil case at the Federal High Court to seek compensation and justice for the infringement.

Earlier, her lawyers had also sent a formal letter to Airtel’s management, demanding that the company stop using the song immediately and pay ₦50 million as compensation. The letter warned that legal action would follow if Airtel failed to respond within 21 days.

In the letter, Mbanefo’s lawyer stated that she is the original creator and legal owner of *“Nigeria Go Survive,”* and accused Airtel of deliberately using the song for commercial gain without permission. He described the act as a serious violation of copyright laws and an attempt to profit unfairly from her work.

With the court’s ruling, Airtel has now been ordered to pay ₦210 million, bringing the long legal battle to an end and reinforcing the importance of respecting artists’ rights in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.