Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organization with members across the country and affiliates across the world, has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the July 9, 2026 decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos division.
The decision to go to the Supreme Court arose from COSON’s disaffection with the Court of Appeal decision on an interlocutory appeal filed by the CMO over the ruling of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No FHC/L/CS/425/2020, a case in which COSON is seeking among other prayers damages in the sum of 10 billion Naira against the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).
According to Nigeria’s copyright activist, former President of PMAN and Chairman of the Board of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji,
“I know the Nigerian Copyright Law very well. There is no question that Mr. Abubakar Malami, immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice blatantly abused his powers, when he ordered the NCC to take the devastating actions taken against COSON and its members by the NCC; whose actions have impoverished thousands of musicians while Mr Malami and his cohorts continue to reap where they did not sow. I keep asking everyone to show me the section of the Law that gave Mr Malami the power to do what he did.
No one has yet shown me the section. Mr Abubakar Malami never cared about “national interest” as he publicly touted repeatedly. Abubakar Malami is a man engrossed in the pursuit of personal interest no matter what injury that pursuit does to the nation.
“The recent Federal High Court decision which ordered Mr Malami to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria, property worth a mind-boggling sum of several hundreds of billions of naira, illicitly acquired by him, should be a revelation of the mindset of the man whose assignment was to ensure the adherence of everyone to Nigerian laws.
“By the history of COSON, everyone should be assured that ultimately, COSON will prevail as it has done many times before. For the avoidance of doubt, COSON continues to fully operate as the issues are resolved by the courts”
