Ini Edo loses ‘Shanty Town’ ownership legal battle to Chinenye Nworah

Nollywood actress Ini Edo has lost her claim to the ownership rights of the hit Netflix series “Shanty Town” to filmmaker Chinenye Nworah.

In January 2024, Ini Edo and her company, Minini Empire Productions Limited (MEP), initiated a legal challenge against Nworah and GCM, filing a double intellectual property petition.

The petition sought to assert ownership over the trademarks and copyrights associated with the popular series.

However, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Trademark Registry have ruled against Ini Edo.

The authorities dismissed the petition as frivolous and lacking in merit. The NCC also rejected a separate request from Edo and MEP to annul two copyright certificates previously awarded to Nworah for “Shanty Town” — one for the literary work (Certificate Number LW10177) and another for the audiovisual work (Certificate Number CF1448).

In response to the ruling, Nworah’s lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, stated: “The successful defense of these claims highlights the importance of protecting creative works and ensuring fair compensation for artists.”