The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) will make a final decision by October 2025 on the criminal copyright infringement charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and its CEO, Karl Toriola, according to court proceedings in Abuja.
The case began when the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) accused MTN and others of using musical works by artiste Maleke Idowu Moye as caller ringback tunes without permission between 2010 and 2017. This led to a criminal charge filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, and others, alleging unauthorized use and distribution of copyrighted music.
MTN challenged the case, asking the court to dismiss it as defective. Following petitions from MTN’s lawyers claiming attempts to damage the company’s reputation and destabilize its business, the AGF took over the prosecution from the NCC in mid-2024, as allowed by the constitution.
At the latest court session, the AGF’s counsel informed the judge that the office was reviewing the matter and requested more time to decide. The court adjourned the case to October 22, 2025, for the AGF’s report on whether to continue or drop the charges.
MTN’s legal team expressed hope that the AGF’s decision will soon resolve the uncertainty hanging over the CEO and the company.
For now, the matter remains under review by the highest legal authority in the country.
