Telecom
MTN, Musician Fight over Alleged Copyright Violation
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has launched a full-scale investigation into allegations of infringement by MTN Nigeria of the copyright of Dovie Okson Omenuwoma, an Abuja-based musician and entertainer.
Omenuwoma better known as Baba 2010 alleges that MTN Nigeria infringed on his copyright by turning four musical works belonging to him into MTN caller tunes and ringtones, and selling them, without his permission.
Based on the allegation, NCC has invited Michael Ikpoki, MTN’s MD/CEO to appear at the commission’s head office, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, on Monday, October 28.
In a letter signed by Barr A. T. Kohol, NCC’s director of Prosecution, requested Ikpoki, to appear with call logs and any other documents that will help in the investigation of the alleged copyright violation.
The Abuja-based Isoko musician had earlier through his lawyers Felix, Igelige, & Associates threatened to drag MTN Nigeria to court for infringing on his copyright.
A statement issued on behalf of the Felix, Igelige, & Associate in Abuja, signed by Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, alleges that MTN Nigeria infringed on their client Dovie Omenuwoma’s copyright by turning four musical works belonging to him into MTN caller tunes and ringtones, and selling them, without his permission.
According to the statement, N500 Million is being demanded from MTN as compensation for using Mr Dovie Omenuwoma’s music work over a period of three years and selling same as caller tunes without his permission.
The statement read in part that:
“Mr Dovie Okson Omenuwoma is our client, he is the author and copyright owner of four musical works ‘Gentleman’, ‘Omotena’, ‘Twisted’ and ‘Unity Song’ by MTN Nigeria with code 001087 (Gentleman), 001088 (Omotena), 001089 (Twisted) and 001090 (Unity Song). These songs are being used as caller tunes/ringtones, stored electronically, reproduced and offered to MTN’s subscribers upon the payment N50 each, for a period of one month, and subject to another N50 renewal charge. The four musical works are contained in our client’s compact disc which he created, produced, and released in 2005.”
“As the copyright owner, Baba 2010 has a number of exclusive rights defined by the Copyright Act, Cap 28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. These include the right to reproduce the works, and to publish and communicate them to the public, (including by way of sale and broadcast, both conventionally and online or via the internet). It is an infringement of copyright to do any of these or other protected acts, in relation to the whole or substantial part of a copyright work, or to authorise anyone to do such an act or acts on your behalf, without prior permission or licence of the copyright owner.”
Dr Ifowodo said by not obtaining permission from Baba 2010 before engaging in the act of selling his works, MTN’s conduct constitutes a flagrant and deliberate infringement of copyright which is tantamount to stealing and deprivation of Baba 2010’s gains of his labor.
Meanwhile the lead Counsel to Mr Dovie Okson Omenuwoma, Rockson Igelige, who represented the Felix, Igelige, & Associates at the Nigerian Copyright Commission, said his team is determined to prove beyond doubt, that MTN Nigeria committed criminal act and therefore solicited for the Copyright Commission’s support in prosecuting the MTN managing director in line with section 22 of the copyright law.
The Westminster-trained entertainment lawyer and rights activist made this appeal when he presented four witnesses at the head office of the Nigerian Copyright Commission in Abuja. The four witnesses who testified against MTN include Mr. Dovie Okson Omenuwoma (Baba 2010), Miss Bolah Igeh, Miss Patience Chinonso Owunna, and Master Zino Mena. Others who witnessed the presentation include the President of Abuja Resident Musicians Association Mr King Faj and the Director of Music Mr George Humphrey. The Nigerian Copyright Commission team was led by Mr Amodu and Barr AT. Koho, the Director of Prosecution.
The Copyright Commission team was overwhelmed by the evidence presented by the lead counsel and as well as revelation by the witnesses.
However, MTN Nigeria has appealed for more time to allow them investigate and revert on the five hundred million naira claim. The MTN Nigeria legal advisors Obiageli Maduka and Olasubomi Osoba made the request.
Nigeria has exactly 156,662 active fixed wired internet subscriptions as of mid-2026.
This is a tiny fraction compared to mobile GSM networks, which dominate the market with over 154 million subscribers.
The fixed wired market primarily consists of homes and offices using direct physical cables like fiber optics.
Fixed wired services use physical cables, like glass fiber or copper wire, to bring internet directly into a building.
It is like a dedicated, private water pipe for your home. It provides very fast speeds, unlimited data, and is reliable.
In contrast, mobile GSM uses radio waves transmitted from tall towers to phones, acting more like a sprinkler that sprays a signal across an entire neighborhood.
Because laying physical cables across cities is expensive and hard to do, these subscriptions are very rare.
However, the market has seen recent growth, driven largely by Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services.
The top players are: MTN FibreX with 110,564 subscribers, which is roughly 88.7 per cent of the entire market.
SWIFTNG accounts for about 13,945 connections.
The others are ipNX and 21st Century Technologies which make up the number.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is intensifying efforts to implement Nigeria’s planned 112 national emergency number following its approval by the National Economic Council (NEC).
NCC
The commission disclosed this during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and an NCC delegation led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing the Vice President, Olorunnimbe said the NCC had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across the country to support a unified national emergency response system.
He said the next phase of implementation would focus on closer collaboration with state governments and emergency response agencies to ensure the effective rollout of the initiative.
The development follows the recent approval by the NEC, chaired by the Vice President, for the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency number across all tiers of government and emergency response agencies.
The council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee to be jointly coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the NCC.
Olorunnimbe stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on the commitment of state governments to support and maintain emergency communications infrastructure, as well as the readiness of response agencies to promptly attend to distress calls.
“We need commitment at every level of all response agencies—from top to bottom—including the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services across the states and, at the national level, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” he said.
Responding, Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the nationwide implementation of the single emergency number in line with international best practices.
He also urged the commission to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), citing the agency’s experience in disaster management, relief and rehabilitation.
The Vice President assured the commission of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining the initiative, saying funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and partnerships with the private sector.
He also called for greater dedication from all emergency response agencies to ensure the success of the programme.
The adoption of 112 is expected to harmonise emergency communications across Nigeria by providing a single number through which citizens can quickly access police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services.
The initiative is also expected to replace multiple emergency contact numbers currently in use and improve coordination and response during emergencies.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was strengthening collaboration with state governments and industry players to develop a transparent, cost-based pricing framework for sharing telecom ducts as part of efforts to speed up broadband expansion across Nigeria.
Ayuba Shuaibu, director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, disclosed this at the Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja.
Shuaibu said the initiative was designed to build consensus among all parties.
“The primary purpose of this forum is to ensure seamless synergy between the Commission and all stakeholders,” he said.
The director said the consultation was prompted by longstanding complaints over permits, levies and other charges imposed by different levels of government.
He said bringing together state commissioners, telecom operators, tower companies and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had helped improve understanding of the issues.
“This engagement is a work in progress. We expect more input from stakeholders before presenting the outcome to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum,” he added.
Dr Helen Adeneye, commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kogi State. welcomed the consultation, saying Nigeria needs a harmonised policy that clearly defines the responsibilities of both the federal and state governments.
“We need a harmonised policy that allows states to collaborate better with telecom operators and creates a more business-friendly environment,” she said.
Dr Adeneye added that adopting the Dig-Once policy would establish a uniform pricing system and help resolve disputes over charges for telecom infrastructure deployment.
Chidi Ajuzie, chief executive officer, WTES Projects Limited, whose firm is conducting the consultancy study, said the proposed framework would introduce a common cost structure for duct sharing to support broadband investment and economic growth.
“The study is designed to create a uniform pricing model that will drive broadband growth, economic development and wider adoption across the country,” he said.
Ajuzie explained that the consultants had developed preliminary floor and ceiling prices to guide operators while allowing flexibility within the approved range.
He added that the recommendations remain open to industry input before the NCC finalises the framework.
The Dig-Once Policy is designed to reduce the cost and disruption of deploying broadband infrastructure by requiring fibre ducts to be installed whenever roads are constructed or rehabilitated.
The NCC is developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing these ducts to promote fair pricing, reduce duplication of infrastructure and encourage investment.
The proposed model is expected to support the Federal Government’s broadband expansion targets while improving collaboration between telecom operators and state governments.
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