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The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed the preliminary objection filed by Sanlam General Insurance Limited in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/451/2024, which ruled in favor of Inyang Rotimi Olayiwola in a N500 million copyright infringement action.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Aluko, the court stated that the insurance company’s application was without merit, describing it as “frivolous” and an abuse of the court process, and awarded costs of N100,000 to the company.
“Plaintiffs have the requisite locus standi to bring this lawsuit, and the statement of claim discloses reasonable grounds for bringing suit against the defendants,” the judge ruled.
Olayiwola has filed a lawsuit against Sanlam and the Lagos State Government, alleging copyright infringement and misuse of confidential information, and seeking damages of N500 million jointly and severally.
Sanlam had urged the court to dismiss the case citing “lack of jurisdiction and lack of locus standi,” but the court rejected those arguments, stating that the claims filed by the plaintiffs were substantive and required a full legal ruling.
In a strongly worded statement, Judge Aluko stated: “This application is without merit and a waste of the court’s time,” before charging costs to the insurance company.
The proceedings also highlighted the absence of the Lagos State Government, represented by the Attorney General, who has now been absent for the fifth consecutive year. The repeated absences have fueled speculation that the state may be exploring an out-of-court settlement, especially following previous indications it was conceding to aspects of the plaintiffs’ claims.
To provide additional context, Olayiwola recalled conflict within the state government over the issue.
“You will recall that the Deputy Governor of Lagos State rejected my claim against the state despite confirming and knowing the truth from his predecessors. Instead, six months after his unfortunate denial, the Attorney General of the state confirmed and acknowledged my claim in writing against the state. The Attorney General wrote and I quote ‘after thorough investigation, it was realized that the matter had become the subject of litigation and the parties had been referred to the Multi Door Courthouse, and terms of settlement had been reached…’ Reasons why the case So far the Attorney General has lacked the courage to attend the entire trial process.”
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Reacting to the court decision, Olayiwola welcomed the development, describing it as validation of his case.
“This decision is a testament to the strength of my case and my determination to seek justice. I will provide a detailed report on these developments to well-wishers and members of the press in due course.”
Sanlam Life Insurance, the parent company of Sanlam General Insurance Limited, is a long-standing financial services group founded in 1918, with its Nigerian subsidiary reporting continued growth in recent years, including gross premium income of N16.1 billion and claims payments of N3.9 billion in 2023.
This case, which has attracted the attention of legal and corporate circles, raises key issues around intellectual property rights and corporate accountability. With the initial objection rejected, the lawsuit will now proceed to a full trial, where the court is expected to determine the substantive claims and relief sought by the plaintiff.
