The Court of Appeal in Abuja has granted N15 million in general damages against MTN Nigeria Communications Limited for inundating a Nigerian customer’s phone number with unsolicited messages and caller tunes despite the customer not subscribing to these services.
Justice Okoro Abang ruled that the communications company’s conduct infringed upon the right to privacy and the peaceful enjoyment of the airtime purchased by Barrister Ezugwu Emmanuel Anene, a lawyer dedicated to the public interest.
This case stemmed from a prior ruling by the High Court of the FCT, issued by Justice U.P. Kekemeke on September 22, 2021.
The claimant, Anene, requested a declaration that the eighty-eight unsolicited calls he received from MTN during unusual hours caused him embarrassment, inconvenience, distraction, and anxiety, thereby violating his right to privacy.
