MTN Group and fintech firm Clydestone Ghana are locked in a legal dispute over the alleged unauthorised use of intellectual property linked to the West African country’s mobile money sector.
Clydestone this week filed a writ of summons and statement of claim against MTN Ghana, MTN Group Limited and Mobile Money Fintech Limited in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Ghana.
The case relates to work commissioned in 2007 that Clydestone alleges was later used without authorisation or compensation.
The company announced the legal action at the Ghana Stock Exchange.
Clydestone said the claim involves proprietary intellectual property, confidential commercial information and operational methodology developed during the engagement.
MTN Ghana said it “does not accept the claims made, considers them without merit, and will contest the proceedings fully”.
It added it would not comment further on the substantive issues while the matter is before the court.
MTN Ghana said the proceedings do not affect its operations, services or Mobile Money business.
The dispute comes as mobile money remains a key revenue driver in Ghana’s digital economy.
Clydestone is seeking declarations, damages and equitable remedies.
In a statement, the company said MTN Ghana engaged it some 20 years ago to develop a commercial and operational framework for a mobile money business.
Clydestone said the work was commissioned on the understanding that a non-disclosure agreement and memorandum of understanding would be signed.
It alleges these agreements were not finalised despite repeated requests.
The company further alleges MTN Ghana later used its proprietary work without authorisation or compensation, including in MTN Mobile Money Ghana and other markets.
“The wrongful use of that work has been ongoing since 2009. What has changed is the availability of independently verifiable information that documents its scale and commercial significance,” said Clydestone.
It cited the GSM Association State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026 and MTN Ghana’s 2025 annual report as evidence.
According to Clydestone, the reports show about 19.3 million active users and annual revenue of around GHS 6.0 billion ($516 million).
The company said it reviewed its records following these publications and concluded there were sufficient grounds to initiate legal proceedings.
It added that it has received no payment or acknowledgement for the work since December 2007, and that pre-action correspondence in 2026 received no substantive response.
“The board of directors has unanimously authorised the commencement of these proceedings,” the company said.
Paul Jacquaye, founder and group CEO of Clydestone Ghana Plc, said: “This case is about accountability for commissioned intellectual property.
“When independent publications in 2025 and 2026 revealed the scale of the mobile money business, we reviewed all documentation relating to the original engagement and concluded these proceedings were necessary.”
MTN Ghana reiterated it would not comment further while the matter is before the court.
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