Companies
Mdundo hit with Sh31.5m music copyright claim
Friday September 29 2023
Martin Moeller Nielsen, CEO and Co-founder of Mdundo gives a Press brief on the company’s financial performance and outlook on June 27, 2023, at Pine Tree Plaza in Nairobi. PHOTO | BILLY OGADA | NMG
Music streaming firm Mdundo has revealed that it has been hit with a copyright infringement claim of Sh31.5 million filed during the financial year 2022/23 in the latest hurdle threatening its coffers.
The company has not revealed the identity of the claimant and the song or songs in question but denoted the claim sum in Kenyan shillings, indicating that the claim has been filed in Kenya.
Read: Active users on Mdundo drop 14pc to 3m monthly
Mdundo has however expressed optimism that it will win the case. The firm recently said that over 140,000 artists have created accounts on the streaming platform, with 86,000 of them being Kenyan, translating to 61.4 percent local composition.
“Mdundo been demanded payment of Sh31,553,500, equivalent to DKK [Danish Krone] 1,539,175 as of June 30, 2023, for alleged copyright infringement. However, based on a legal assessment, it is considered highly likely that the court will acquit Mdundo of the allegation,” said the firm.
Read: Music streaming dividend: Online platforms feed a growing speakers boom
This comes as the company extended its loss-making run in the year to June 2023 after it widened its net loss by 5.4 percent during the period.
