Times Multimedia Limited (TMM) has accused Afreximbank organisers of Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) of intellectual property (IP) infringement of its Creative Africa Exchange (CAX) which it stated is a violation of copyright.

In a statement issued by the company, it said ” Times Multimedia Limited (TMM) is appalled that Afreximbank, who merely provided funds by way of sponsorship to facilitate conceptualisation, ideation, design, and execution of Creative Africa Exchange (CAX), a holistic program that consolidates the African creative and cultural industry, thereby aligning identified resources in the sector to create a proper economic ecosystem, is involved in aiding and encouraging intellectual theft and promoting flagrant violations of copyright by adding ‘Nexus’ to the phrase ‘Creative Africa’,”

It recalled that it had a partnership with Afreximbank in the past which was agreed that TMM should retain the intellectual property of CAX.

“It is important to state the preceding events that formed the partnership of Afreximbank and TMM. The CAX journey with TMM started in 2018. The very key objective of TMM’s engagement was the delivery of the Creative industry aspect of the IATF 2018.

“In the buildup to the IATF 2018, a series of meetings took place at the instance of Afreximbank where it was agreed that TMM should carry out work in reshaping the sponsorship/strategic communications and fulfillment of the IATF 2018. It was based on this understanding that TMM had carried out this assignment under a mutually beneficial relationship with Afreximbank in which TMM was to retain the intellectual property, which was trademarked, hence, TMM retains the copyright of the original work of the CAX,” it disclosed.

It added that “We have done a thorough assessment of one ‘Creative Africa Nexus’ which is scheduled to hold between the 25th and 27th of November 2022 and was discovered that the concept is largely the same as ‘Creative Africa Exchange (CAX)’ in the mode of activities, mode of operation, the objectives, and the intellectual property are all the same both in form and in substance.

“It is clear that authorisation was never sought nor obtained before Afreximbank proceeded to launch ‘Creative Africa Nexus’ which has the same concept with ‘Creative Africa Exchange (Cax)’ and such act should be stopped immediately.”

The Creative Africa Nexus page on social media stated that the event will be an important milestone in Afreximbank’s implementation of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme; a multi-faceted intervention aimed at supporting and developing Africa’s rapidly growing creative sector.

The company, therefore, disclosed that it has taken legal action and urged attendees and speakers to boycott the event to avoid aiding and abetting IP theft.

“Our lawyers have been instructed to take action on these. Please Note that attendees and speakers (Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, Chinwe Ohanele, Ntando Ngwenya, Lafalaise Dion, Armando Cabral, Zippy Kimundu, Jean Sabastien N’Guessan) at the Creative Africa Nexus can be liable to aiding and abetting IP theft.”