The Court of Appeal in Abuja ruled against MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, ordering the company to pay N15 million for invading a customer’s privacy through repeated unsolicited messages and callertunes.
The judgment followed a legal battle initiated by Ezugwu Anene, who argued that MTN’s actions violated his right to privacy and disrupted his use of purchased airtime.
The court acknowledged that Mr. Anene had activated the “Do Not Disturb” feature and formally complained to MTN about the unwelcome messages and charges.
Despite these steps, MTN continued its practices, prompting the appeal. Initially, a lower court awarded N300,000 in damages, but Mr. Anene appealed, citing the award as insufficient.
The appellate court increased the compensation to N15 million.
The court criticized MTN for disregarding customer consent and noted the significant potential profit the company could gain from such activities.
A cross-appeal filed by MTN was dismissed, affirming the company’s responsibility to respect subscriber preferences and privacy.
