Developing Story: CiDAR Africa Threatens Legal Action Against Throne Records
TurnTable Charts can report that there’s an ongoing legal dispute between CiDAR Africa and Throne Records. According to documents made available to our news desk, one of Nigerian music fast growing companies CiDAR is accusing Throne Records of defamation and demanding a retraction and public apology.
At the centre of the conflict is the control of Kidd Carder's back catalogue, with both parties appearing to hold differing interpretations of the rights surrounding the recordings. The sequence of events, as CiDAR describes it, is relatively simple. CiDAR holds two separate sets of rights: an exclusive licence signed directly with Kidd Carder in 2023, and later distribution agreements with Throne Records covering future recordings some of the licensed songs. When the artiste’s relationship with Throne broke down, Throne asked CiDAR to take down a record that was earlier delivered through the ordinary channels. CiDAR’s difficulty was that Kidd Carder had never signed an inducement letter tying him to the Throne agreements, meaning the artiste remained a separate party to whom CiDAR owed direct contractual obligations. Complying blindly would have exposed CiDAR to a claim from the very artiste it was licensed by. It therefore asked Throne to sign a routine indemnity, a standard commercial protection, requested politely and in writing before acting. It is that request, CiDAR says, that was met not with a signature or discussion, but with public accusations of fraud.
In the legal notice obtained by TurnTable Charts, CiDAR Africa, through its newly appointed solicitors, accused Throne Records of making defamatory and libelous publications against the company and its director, after a series of social media posts allegedly published by representatives of Throne Records accusing CiDAR Africa of fraud. CiDAR Africa contends that the statements were false, malicious and deliberately coordinated to inflict reputational harm by circulating the allegations across multiple platforms while tagging artistes, business partners and members of the public to amplify their reach, CiDAR Africa having reviewed all documents through its solicitors are demanding an immediate retraction, a public apology, compensation for reputational damage, and a written undertaking against any further defamatory statements. The notice further warns that failure to comply within seven days could result in both civil and criminal legal proceedings.
This situation reflects a wider transformation occurring within the Nigerian music industry. As music rights become increasingly valuable commercial assets, legal disputes surrounding recording agreements, catalogue ownership, licensing arrangements, royalty entitlements and intellectual property have become significantly more common and informal business relationships built largely on trust are now being tested against legally binding agreements worth millions in long-term revenue. Artistes today frequently move between labels, distributors and management companies as their careers evolve, creating overlapping contractual obligations that can give rise to competing claims over recordings. As Afrobeats continues to establish itself as a global business, contracts, rights management and regulatory compliance will increasingly determine the industry's future alongside the music itself. TurnTable Charts understands that the matter remains ongoing and will continue to provide updates as further developments emerge.
