Offset Communications Advisory Ltd has dragged Qore Technologies Ltd before a Federal High Court in Lagos, demanding the sum of N50 million as damages for the alleged infringement of its copyright.

Offset, in the suit marked: FHC/L/CS/1994/2025, is claiming that Qore used content from a proposal it submitted in December 2022, without formal engagement, attribution, or a licensing agreement.

“The Defendant’s execution of the content of the proposal submitted to it by the Plaintiff without any formal engagement, attribution or a licensing arrangement… amounts to an infringement of the Plaintiff’s copyright,” Offset stated in its writ of summon.

The suit filed on September 29, 2025, by Jimoh Bamigbola and Omobolaji Idris, on behalf of the plaintiff has Qore as sole defendant.

Plaintiff, a Lagos-based communications firm, in its statement of claim said it a had previously worked with Qore on Public Relations (PR) projects and was later asked to prepare a communications strategy for the company, adding that the said proposal contained ideas on employee engagement, branding, and stakeholder management.

Offset however, alleged that Qore implemented elements of the proposal, including internal communication initiatives and branding concepts, without payment or agreement.

“The Defendant executed and integrated the propositions into its Public Relations and Communication Strategy without any formal engagement… with the Plaintiff,” the statement of claim read.

The plaintiff said it discovered the alleged infringement in April 2025 and subsequently notified the defendant, but efforts to resolve the dispute failed.

It is seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that the defendant’s actions amount to copyright infringement, N50 million in general damages, N5 million in litigation costs, 29 percent post-judgment interest, and “an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the Defendant… from further infringing on the Plaintiff’s copyright.”

Qore Technologies, however, denied the allegations in its statement of defence, arguing that the plaintiff was only engaged for limited Public Relations support services on a project basis and was paid for those services.

“The Plaintiff merely provided routine and secondary Public Relations support services… for which the Plaintiff was remunerated,” the defendant stated.

Qore further argued that the ideas referenced by the plaintiff are not protected under copyright law.

“The alleged ‘ideas’… consist of generic corporate communication practices widely used by companies… and cannot constitute original copyrightable works under Nigerian law,” it said.

The company also maintained that no binding agreement existed regarding the proposal and that its branding and communication strategies were developed internally and by its consultants.

In addition, Qore challenged the competence of the suit, stating that “the Statement of Claim discloses no reasonable cause of action” and that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

The defendant also filed a counterclaim, seeking N6.35 million as reimbursement for legal fees incurred in defending the suit, as well as N2 million in costs.

At the hearing on March 23, 2026, counsel to the parties identified their processes, and the court adjourned the matter to June 22, 2026, for further proceedings.

The case is expected to test the boundaries of copyright protection in Nigeria’s Communications and Public Relations industry, particularly regarding the ownership of proposals and business ideas.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. ______________________________________________________________________