Nollywood Actress Adunni Ade Wins ₦30 Million Lawsuit Against Google Over False Dino Melaye Stories
A Lagos High Court has awarded Nollywood actress Adunni Ade ₦30 million in general damages after ruling in her favour in a lawsuit against Google LLC over publications that falsely linked her romantically with former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye. The court also ordered the technology company to remove the disputed content from its platforms and issue a formal apology.The legal battle began in July 2024 when the actress, whose full name is Adunni Adewale, sued Google over stories that appeared on Google Search and YouTube. The publications alleged that she had been romantically involved with Melaye, claims she described as false, misleading and damaging to her reputation.According to court documents, Adunni argued that the continued display of her name and photograph alongside the stories violated her constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and breached the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. She maintained that the reports caused emotional distress and exposed her to public ridicule.
Justice I.O. Harrison of the Lagos Judicial Division delivered judgment on July 9, 2025, finding that Google, as the data controller, failed to ensure that the information associated with the actress was accurate and not misleading. The court subsequently awarded her ₦30 million in general damages and directed Google to delete the offending publications from Google Search and YouTube.The court also noted that Google did not file a defence or appear during the proceedings despite being served with the court documents electronically. As a result, the matter proceeded in the company’s absence. Meta Platforms, which was initially joined in the suit, was later removed from the case after the actress discontinued proceedings against the company following a preliminary objection.
Adunni had originally sought ₦100 million in damages, but the court awarded ₦30 million while granting additional relief requiring the removal of the publications and a formal apology. Legal observers say the judgment highlights the increasing importance of data privacy and online reputation in Nigeria’s digital landscape.
Neither Google nor Adunni Ade had issued an official public statement on the judgment at the time the reports were published. However, the ruling is expected to spark further discussions about the responsibilities of technology companies in handling online content and protecting individuals from false and defamatory publications.
