The Court of Appeal has affirmed the judgment in favour of Golden Guinea Breweries Plc in its long-running trademark dispute with International Breweries Plc, upholding the lower court’s decision that awarded the Umuahia-based brewer N10 billion in damages.
The legal battle, which began in 2016, centred on the ownership and use of the “Eagle Stout” trademark. Golden Guinea accused International Breweries and its affiliate, Pabod Breweries Limited, of unlawfully using the trademark, arguing that it held the exclusive rights to produce and market the product in Nigeria.
The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had earlier ruled that Golden Guinea is the registered proprietor of the “Eagle Stout” trademark and is entitled to its exclusive use. In addition to awarding N10 billion in general damages, the court granted a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from producing, selling, distributing, or otherwise using the trademark. It also ordered the destruction of all infringing products and materials bearing the disputed mark.
International Breweries appealed the judgment, seeking to overturn the decision and halt its enforcement. However, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and upheld the trial court’s ruling, reaffirming Golden Guinea’s exclusive trademark rights.
The decision represents a significant victory for Golden Guinea Breweries, reinforcing legal protections for intellectual property and trademarks in Nigeria’s business environment. It also marks the latest chapter in an eight-year legal dispute involving one of the country’s oldest breweries and one of the world’s largest brewing groups.
