The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the $150 million lawsuit filed by Nigerian entrepreneur Chianugo Peter against Google LLC and GoDaddy.com LLC until April 22 for hearing.
The case, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, could not proceed on Tuesday because the judge was attending another official assignment. Both Peter’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ekpenyong, and Mark Mordi, counsel to Google, were present in court.
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Peter filed the suit after his domain, YouTubeAudio.com, was shut down. He claims this action breached his contract with the companies.
The suit, filed on April 14, 2023 (FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023), names GoDaddy as the first defendant and Google as the second. Peter is seeking $150 million in compensation for the alleged actions affecting his domain and business.
He alleges that the defendants shut down YouTubeAudio.com and transferred rights over the domain to Google, despite the domain being distinct from YouTube’s trademarks.
In his amended statement of claim dated April 29, 2024, Peter requested that the court declare the shutdown improper, award $50 million for promotional and marketing work on the domain, $100 million for loss of anticipated profits, 50 million naira for registering a new domain, and 10 million naira for legal costs. Alternatively, he asked that the domain be reinstated on both GoDaddy and Google platforms.
Peter said he acquired rights to the domain after GoDaddy confirmed its availability and consistently maintained it from 2015 to 2022. He also said he had contacted Google in 2014 and 2021 to discuss partnerships regarding YouTubeAudio but received no response.
Google, in its amended defence and counterclaim filed on May 31, 2024, said Peter’s use of YouTubeAudio infringes its registered YOUTUBE trademarks. The company said it spent $24,040.64 addressing the alleged infringement and sought reimbursement and court costs.
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In his amended reply dated July 12, 2024, Peter argued that YouTubeAudio is distinct from YouTube and that Google, being aware of the domain’s use for eight years, cannot claim exclusive rights. GoDaddy has not filed any response or appeared in court.
The matter is now scheduled for a hearing on April 22, 2026.
