Court Awards Adunni Ade N30m Damages Against Google Over Defamatory Publications

Court Awards Adunni Ade N30m Damages Against Google Over Defamatory Publications

A Lagos High Court has awarded Nollywood actress Adunni Ade ₦30 million in general damages against Google LLC over the publication of articles the court found to be defamatory and in violation of her right to privacy.

In a judgment delivered by Justice I.O. Harrison on July 9, 2025, the court held that Google unlawfully published and retained articles linking the actress to former Senator Dino Melaye, thereby portraying her in a false and misleading light.

The court ordered Google to immediately remove two articles titled “How Dino Melaye used fake Patek Watch to woo and knack Actress Adunni Ade back, front and center” and “Actress Adunni Ade involved in heated exchange with famous Instagram blog after being listed among six celebrities to have dated Dino Melaye” from all its platforms.

Adunni Ade had filed the suit on July 11, 2024, seeking enforcement of her fundamental right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

She argued that Google’s continued publication of the articles, which featured her name and photographs, amounted to an invasion of her privacy and falsely associated her with an embarrassing narrative.

In its ruling, the court held that Google, as a data controller, failed to process the actress’s personal data in a fair, lawful and transparent manner, contrary to the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

Justice Harrison ruled that associating the actress’s name and image with a false and embarrassing story amounted to publication in a false light and constituted a violation of her right to privacy.

The court also noted that Google neither appeared before the court nor filed a defence despite being duly served with the court processes.

The judgment is regarded as a significant legal victory for the actress and highlights the responsibility of digital platforms to protect individuals’ privacy rights and ensure the lawful processing of personal data.

Court Awards Adunni Ade N30m Damages Against Google Over Defamatory Publications