The High Court has temporarily blocked an order that would have compelled popular rapper Nyashinski to disclose details of his endorsement deal with smartphone manufacturer Tecno in the copyright dispute with Nigerian music producer Sam Eli.
Justice Anthony Mrima issued the stay, suspending a prior directive from the Magistrates’ Court that required Nyashinski, whose real name is Nyamari Ongegu, to reveal the financial terms, including bank transactions and attribution reports, related to the lucrative marketing collaboration with the Chinese phone maker.
The case, filed in 2024, centres on the musician’s 2023 role as brand ambassador for the Tecno Camon 20, which featured his hit song Wach Wach in the advertising campaign.
Producer Sam, who produced the track, is suing Nyashinski, alleging copyright infringement because, as per the court documents, while the rapper owns the master rights to the said song, publishing rights are split evenly between them, and so he claims he is entitled to a share of the Tecno deal’s earnings based on their royalty agreement.
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In August 2024, the Magistrates’ Court sided with the producer, ordering Nyashinski to reveal the financial details of the contract within weeks. Producer Sam argued that the specifics were essential to calculate potential losses tied to his 50% publishing stake. Magistrate Selina Muchungi agreed, ruling that the documents were critical for a fair resolution.
Nyashinski’s legal team appealed, arguing that the order was premature and could prejudice the rapper’s commercial interests since it would breach a non-disclosure clause in the contract and expose sensitive business information. They further contended that the producer, not a party to the Tecno deal, had no legal basis to access its details and that the magistrate’s ruling lacked safeguards for the appellant’s personal and financial data.
On April 30, 2025, the High Court agreed to pause the magistrate’s order until a full appeal is heard. “The applicant stands to suffer loss if no orders are granted,” said Justice Mrima in the ruling, noting that Nyashinski could face lasting harm if made to comply and submit the documents before the appeal is heard.
“Once the documents are released, the process intimated by the applicant will be set in motion with no possibility of reversal,” the judge noted additionally, deeming the appeal merited.
The court has ordered both parties to file submissions on the appeal, with a hearing set for June 2025.
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