Business
Billionaire Businessman, Harry Akande, Battles Shoprite
Billionaire Harry Ayoade Akande towers above many of his contemporaries, particularly because he has been in warm embrace of fame for many decades.
Beyond his famed status as a successful businessman, he has also remained very relevant owing to his uncommon brilliance, a quality that has endeared him to many across the globe.
The Agbaoye of Ibadan, who set out to pursue his dreams quite early in life, had served as a business advisor and consultant to many other businessmen, including governments of several nations.
The world-class businessman in the past has scored many firsts in the nation’s business climate to the envy of many of his competitors.
Indeed, he would have scored yet another first in 2005, as the South African retail store, Shoprite, had several meetings with his company, AIC Limited, and agreed his company would be the exclusive operator and manager of its brand across West Africa, except Ghana where the Shoprite brand was already established.
Consequently , there were a series of business meetings between Akande’s representatives and Shoprite Checkers first in South Africa on April 16, 1998 and then at Akande’s office in Victoria Island, Lagos on May 27, 1998.
Shoprite was also said to have flown in representatives who were shown possible locations for retail stores at some locations ,including Lekki Roundabout, Trade fair Complex and Lagos National Theatre, Iganmu.
But when the South African retail giant was ready to commence operations in Nigeria, it allegedly sidelined Akande’s AIC and incorporated another company, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, and began using the new entity to operate in Nigeria, thereby breaching agreements between them.
The billionaire was upset and this led to a prolonged legal battle with Akande securing a 2018 major victory against the South African retail group for breaching contract between both parties in Suit No LD/488/2010 —AIC Limited (Claimant) v Shoprite Checkers (PTY) Ltd of South Africa and Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited (Defendants).
However, Shoprite owners appealed the judgement, while the Ibadan, Oyo State-born billionaire secured another victory in May 2020 at the appellate court.
Though the three-man panel of Court of Appeal , Lagos Division, didn’t agree to Akande’s cross appeal, demanding 50 per cent of $92.3million as loss of profit he suffered due to the incorporation of Retail Supermarkets Limited, it unanimously affirmed the judgment of a Lagos High Court that awarded $10 million (N4.7 billion) damages against Shoprite Checkers (PTY) Limited.
Apart from the $10 million award, the court had directed the South African retail giant to pay 10 percent per annum on the damages, with effect from the date of judgment until the final liquidation of the entire sum.
Consequently, the shrewd businessman has initiated a fresh legal battle at the Federal High Court to halt Shoprite Checkers’ exit moves out of Nigeria until the entire sum demanded is paid to the last kobo.
The billionaire, through his company, has got an ex-parte application for an order of Mareva Injunction restraining the South African retail giant, its privies, officers, nominees, successors-in-title, subsidiaries or anyone acting through it or by it from transferring, assigning, charging, disposing of its trademark, franchise and intellectual property in a manner that will alter, dissipate or remove these non-cash assets from the court’s jurisdiction.
The Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) has dismissed allegations that it appropriated the Niger Delta Economic & Investment Summit (NDEIS) brand, insisting it lawfully obtained trademark acceptance for the name and will proceed with its 2026 summit as scheduled.
In a statement issued on September 12, 2026, the chamber described claims by Kunle Nwiwa Junior as “cheap blackmail, misleading, mischievous and a misrepresentation of the facts,” maintaining that it independently developed the summit and followed all required regulatory procedures.
According to NDCCITMA, it applied for and received a Trademark Acceptance Letter for the name Niger Delta Economic & Investment Summit (NDEIS) in August 2025 under File No. NG/TM/O/2025/387284.
The chamber said the chronology of events contradicts allegations that it copied another party’s application, arguing that its trademark acceptance predated the period during which Nwiwa’s own application was reportedly still pending before the relevant authorities.
“Economic Summit” is a generic expression
NDCCITMA further argued that the phrase “Economic Summit” is a generic description widely used for conferences that bring together governments, investors, businesses, development institutions and other stakeholders to discuss investment and economic development.
The chamber maintained that while concepts may be widely used, legal protection only arises from recognised intellectual property rights, including duly registered trademarks and other enforceable proprietary interests.
It therefore rejected suggestions that any individual or organisation has exclusive ownership of the broader concept of an economic summit.
Court grants interim injunction
Addressing reports that the summit had been halted, NDCCITMA said the dispute is already before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt and that there is no court order restraining the event.
The chamber disclosed that in Suit No. FHC/PHC/CS/57/2026, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam granted an interim injunction restraining the defendants—Kunle Nwiwa Junior and Keneva Consult Ltd.—from interfering with the planned summit.
According to NDCCITMA, the court also directed the defendants to remove publications, notices, petitions, social media posts and other statements allegedly considered damaging to the chamber’s name, integrity and reputation pending the hearing of its motion for interlocutory injunction.
The matter has been adjourned until September 22, 2026 for further hearing.
Chamber rejects ₦500 million demand claim
NDCCITMA also alleged that it had received a demand from Nwiwa Junior requesting ₦500 million as a condition for abandoning his claims over the summit.
The chamber said the demand was rejected, adding that it subsequently petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over what it described as repeated harassment and threats directed at its officials.
It said the petition sought police intervention, including inviting the complainant for questioning and caution where necessary.
Summit opens September 15
Despite the legal dispute, NDCCITMA reaffirmed that the 2026 Niger Delta Economic & Investment Summit will hold from September 15 to 17, 2026, at the Obi Wali Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The summit will be held under the theme “Driving Investment, Innovation & Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta” and is expected to bring together policymakers, investors, business leaders, development partners and industry stakeholders to discuss economic transformation across the region.
The chamber said it remains committed to promoting commerce, industry, trade, mining, agriculture and sustainable economic development throughout the Niger Delta while allowing the courts to determine all outstanding legal issues.
Tinubu Niger Delta summit opens in Port Harcourt as investors and policymakers gather to drive investment, innovation and industrial growth
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