Warner Music Group, one of the world’s largest entertainment conglomerates, is facing the prospect of being added to an active Nigerian lawsuit after failing to respond to a formal legal demand over its distribution of Burna Boy’s early catalogue.
The global music giant has yet to respond to a formal letter demanding it halt distribution of Burna Boy’s first two albums, as active court proceedings in Nigeria continue.
Lagos-based law firm Creative Legal, acting on behalf of 960 Music Limited, served Warner Music Group with a formal notification demanding it immediately suspend all distribution, marketing, monetisation, licensing, synchronisation, and any other commercial exploitation of Burna Boy’s debut album L.I.F.E (2013) and his 2016 follow-up Redemption.
Warner was given seven days to respond in writing. That deadline has passed. The global distributor has said nothing at the time of this report. “They are yet to concede to our demands,” a lawyer at Creative Legal told Netng. “Ordinarily, they are supposed to acknowledge the receipt of that letter and abide by what we stated. They have not done that.”
The notification, sent electronically to Warner Music Group’s official contacts, demands the company also refrain from entering into any new licensing, synchronisation, publishing, or sub-distribution arrangements relating to the works, and preserve all financial records, royalty statements, and accounting documents relating to the commercial exploitation of the catalogue.
The underlying dispute over Burna Boy’s early catalogue
The legal action stems from an alleged transfer of Burna Boy’s early catalogue from Aristokrat Records Nigeria Limited, his former label, to Spaceship Music Limited, a company co-owned by the artist himself. 960 Music Limited, which holds a 40% shareholding in Aristokrat Records, says it was neither notified of nor consented to the transaction, which it alleges was executed without board or shareholder approval.
The dispute is already before the courts on two fronts. Civil proceedings are active at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division (Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/188/2024 — 960 Music Ltd v. Aristokrat Records Nigeria Limited & Ors.), seeking nullification of the catalogue assignment and a refund of sale proceeds. Separately, criminal proceedings have been initiated in Lagos (Charge No. FHC/L/1087/2025 — Commissioner of Police v. Aristokrat Records Nigeria Limited & Anor.), involving allegations of fraudulent conversion and related offences.
Warner Music Group distributes the catalogue globally in its capacity as distributor for Spaceship Music/Burna Boy.
Warner Music now risks being joined to the suit
Creative Legal has confirmed that Warner’s continued silence has moved the matter beyond a compliance question; the global music distributor now risks being drawn directly into the Nigerian proceedings.
“There are two things we intend to do,” a spokesperson from Creative Legal told Netng. “The first is that they can be added as a co-defendant. The crux of this matter still links with Warner Music. If a matter is in court, all actions on that subject matter should ordinarily be suspended until the conclusion of the matter. If they continue to enjoy rights over a subject matter that is in court, that would defeat the purpose for which the matter is in court.”
“They risk liability of being added to the suit, so that an injunction order can be placed against them to restrain them from continuing the unlawful distribution of the Burna Boy albums
Barrister Justin Ige, managing partner at Creative Legal, confirmed to the media that the firm had not received a formal compliance notification at the expiration of the deadline, and that it awaits further instruction from 960 Music Limited on next steps.
Netng has contacted Warner Music Group for comments.
L.I.F.E and Redemption represent the foundational catalogue of one of Africa’s most commercially valuable artists. Burna Boy has since become a Grammy Award-winning global superstar, and his early works continue to generate streaming, publishing, and synchronisation income across dozens of international markets.
The commercial value of the disputed catalogue and the royalties it has generated since the alleged unauthorised transfer is central to the relief being sought in the Port Harcourt civil proceedings.
The Burna Boy catalogue dispute is, in that context, not simply a dispute between shareholders. It is a test of whether a global music major will respect a Nigerian legal process or wait to be compelled.
Netng has reached out to Warner Music Group for comment. This story will be updated upon receipt of any response.
