Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 27 SEPTEMBER 2022

Market Intelligence Thought Leadership Award Winner

Who Really Owns The "Machala" Song?

Perchstone & Graeys
Explore more from Perchstone & Graeys

The song ‘‘Machala'', performed by Oderhowo Joseph Efe; popularly known as Carter Efe, was released on 30th July 2022 in honour of the popular afro music star; ‘‘Wizkid''.

NigeriaIntellectual Property
Pius Owhoavwodua
Pius Owhoavwodua
Philip Adekemi
Philip Adekemi
Kolawole Omoyajowo
Kolawole Omoyajowo
Author LinkedIn connections

AN ANALYSIS OF THE LAW OF COPYRIGHT OWNERSHIP.

Introduction

The song ''Machala'', performed by Oderhowo Joseph Efe; popularly known as Carter Efe, was released on 30th July 2022 in honour of the popular afro music star; ''Wizkid''. A short while later, news broke that the trending song had been removed from the Spotify and Apple Music streaming platforms. The music streaming giants temporarily took down the song due to the disagreement between Berri Tiga and Carter Efe as to the song's ownership.

The Nigerian entertainment industry has lately been beset by numerous intellectual property battles, impugning its investment appeal and economic viability. In 2016, there was a copyright infringement dispute between Blackface and Tuface over ownership of the songs ''African Queen and Let Somebody Love You''. The singers ended up settling out of Court with the latter agreeing to pay royalties to the former. Similarly, in 2018, the Danfo Drivers; a music duo comprising

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Legal Safeguards Against Fashion Design Piracy In Nigeria

Fashion design piracy poses a significant threat to Nigeria's creative industry, with designers facing unauthorized copying of their original works. This analysis examines the intellectual property frameworks available to Nigerian fashion designers, including copyright, trademark, patent, and industrial design protections, while exploring the practical challenges of enforcement in a rapidly evolving industry where knockoffs and counterfeits proliferate faster than legal remedies can address them.
NigeriaIntellectual Property
G ELIAS
G ELIAS
Article

Nigeria Clarifies Copyright Ownership Of Musical Works

A Nigerian Federal High Court has ruled on a high-stakes copyright dispute over the globally acclaimed gospel song "Way Maker," examining whether a music producer's technical contributions to a recording constitute co-authorship. The judgment clarifies the critical distinction between creative authorship and production services in determining copyright ownership. This decision carries significant implications for how the music industry documents and allocates rights between artists and technical contributor
NigeriaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Fake Products In Nigeria: Legal Remedies, Civil Actions, And Brand Protection Strategies

Fake products in Nigeria require swift legal remedies, decisive civil actions, and proactive brand protection strategies to safeguard consumers and businesses. Without urgent intervention, unsuspecting buyers lose hard-earned money and suffer severe physical harm from substandard goods, while brand owners watch illegal syndicates clone their original packaging, steal their revenue, and destroy decades of commercial goodwill overnight.
NigeriaIntellectual Property
Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL)
Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL)
Article

Inside The New NFF $8.5m Kit And Merch Deal With Adidas: What It Signals For Sports And IP In Africa

The Nigeria Football Federation's landmark partnership with Adidas, worth a guaranteed $8.5 million annually, marks a significant shift in how African sports federations structure commercial deals. Beyond the headline figures lies a sophisticated intellectual property framework built on merchandise royalties, brand protection, and licensing rights that could reshape the commercial landscape of African sport.
NigeriaIntellectual Property
Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL)
Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL)
Article

An Overview Of The Economic Valuation Of Intellectual Property Assets

We currently live in an era where the most valuable assets of a corporation may never be seen, touched, or physically inspected. Patents governing life-saving pharmaceutical compounds, trademarks representing decades of consumer trust, software architectures powering digital economies, and trade secrets encoding proprietary processes have displaced machinery, land, and buildings as the primary reservoirs of corporate wealth.
NigeriaIntellectual Property
SPA Ajibade & Co
SPA Ajibade & Co
Article

The Business Of Creativity: Legal Risks In Nigeria's Creator Economy

Nigeria's creator economy has moved from informal hustle to an investable industry. The 2025 Nigerian Creator Economy Report (NCER), the first government-backed assessment of the sector, valued it at $31.2 million, with the music industry alone paying artists roughly ₦58 billion in royalties in 2024, and the fashion sector growing into a $4.7 billion contributor to GDP. Industry forecasters expect the broader African creator economy to multiply several times over by the end of the decade.
NigeriaIntellectual Property
Compos Mentis Legal Practitioners
Compos Mentis Legal Practitioners