A Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Grace Onyeabo has granted an interim injunction halting an ongoing pitch process organised by Nigeria’s mobile telecommunications company, Airtel, for its marketing communications business.
It is said that local and foreign agencies are currently jostling for the Airtel’s portfolio, a brand that is currently enmeshed in controversy following disagreements between current handlers of the brand, PrimaGarnetOgilvy and their affiliate partners, Ogilvy Africa.
Justice Onyeabo ruled for the maintenance of the status quo on the Airtel business pending hearing of the substantive suit on April 19, 2013, a development that temporarily halts the effort by the telecom giant to move its account from PrimaGarnet.
Trouble started, according to sources, when ScanGroup, a Kenya-based marketing communications company, owned by one Bharat Thakrar, bought controlling shares in Ogilvy Africa and decided to enhance its African operations by opening in Nigeria. But PrimaGarnet, the Nigerian affiliate of Ogilvy had kicked against this move, citing its affiliation agreement with the Ogilvy network, which prevents the firm or any of its related companies from opening for business in the country.
DANIEL OBI
