Nollywood actress Ini Edo has lost the legal battle over 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), filed a double intellectual property petition against Nworah and her production company, Giant Creative Media Limited (GCM). The petition sought to claim ownership of the trademarks and copyrights associated with *Shanty Town*.
However, in a major legal victory for Nworah, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Trademark Registry ruled in her favor, dismissing Ini Edo’s claims as “frivolous and without substance.”
In a separate ruling, the NCC denied the petition by Ini Edo and MEP to cancel two copyright certificates issued to Nworah for the literary work *Shanty Town* (Certificate Number LW10177) and the audiovisual work *Shanty Town* (Certificate Number CF1448).
Nworah’s lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, responded to the ruling by emphasizing the significance of the case, stating, “The successful defense of these claims highlights the importance of protecting creative works and ensuring fair compensation for artists.”
