Nigerian Breweries Says Facing Trial Over Allegations Of Copyright Infringement

Nigerian Breweries has confirmed that it is currently in court defending a criminal case instituted against its former managing director and the company over a copyright issue concerning one of its brand.
According to a statement sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) by the local unit of Heineken BV, Netherlands, its ex-chief executive and company were accused of infringing on copies of a book titled, “The Amstel Factor” by one Paul Oche.
Reports showed that Nigerian Breweries had used a portion of the book in one of its campaigns without the permission of the author.
Counsel to the author, Paul Ekwueme is praying a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare that the settings, scenes, imageries used in the defendant’s “Why Add More?” Amstel Malta brand product campaign constitutes an infringement of his copyright.
The plaintiff noted that the corresponding setting, scenes, imageries and even words used in the campaign violate his client’s right since the brewer neither sought nor obtained his authorisation to adapt and publish his intellectual literary work in their “Why Add More?” campaign.
The plaintiff is also seeking one billion naira as aggravated and exemplary damages against the defendants jointly and severally for unlawfully, capriciously, maliciously and contemptuously infringing on his copyright in the intellectual literary work.
The company said it was committed to see through the prosecution of the case to its logical conclusion.