A Lagos High Court has awarded Actress Adunni Ade ₦30 million in general damages after ruling in her favour in a lawsuit against Google LLC over online stories that linked her romantically to former senator Dino Melaye.
The judgment, delivered by Justice I.O. Harrison of the Lagos Judicial Division on July 9, 2025, also directed Google to remove the disputed publications from Google Search and YouTube.
In addition, the court ordered the company to issue a formal apology to the Nollywood actress.
The legal battle began in July 2024 after Adunni, whose legal name is Adunni Adewale, challenged the publication of stories that associated her with Melaye.
She argued that the reports were false, misleading and unlawfully used her personal information and image.
Court Finds Privacy Rights Were Violated
According to court proceedings, one of the disputed publications carried the headline, “How Dino Melaye used fake Patek Watch to woo and knack Actress Adunni Ade back, front and centre.”
Another publication claimed she was involved in an online exchange after being named among six celebrities allegedly linked romantically to the former lawmaker.
The actress maintained that the continued circulation of the stories infringed on her constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
She also argued that the publications breached the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, which requires personal data to be processed fairly, accurately and transparently.
After reviewing the case, the court agreed that Google, acting as the data controller, failed to ensure that the information associated with Actress Adunni Ade was accurate and not misleading before making it available on its platforms.
Google Did Not Defend the Case
One of the notable aspects of the proceedings was Google’s absence throughout the case. Court records showed that the company was served with the originating court documents electronically in December 2024 following an order permitting substituted service.
Despite receiving the documents, Google neither filed a defence nor sent legal representatives to appear before the court. As a result, the matter proceeded without opposition from the technology company.
Meta Platforms, which was initially listed as a second respondent in the suit, was removed from the case in April 2025 after successfully raising a preliminary objection.
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Although Actress Adunni Ade originally requested ₦100 million in damages, the court awarded ₦30 million in general damages alongside the order directing Google to delete the disputed publications from Google Search and YouTube and publish an apology.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Google nor Actress Adunni Ade had released an official public statement regarding the court’s decision.
The ruling is expected to attract significant attention as it highlights the growing importance of privacy rights and data protection obligations for global technology companies operating in Nigeria.
