Lagos High Court Rejects Truecaller Data Privacy Lawsuit, Clarifies Consent Rules

The High Court of Lagos State has dismissed a lawsuit against Truecaller regarding the processing of phone numbers belonging to individuals who do not use the application. While the ruling, issued on September 14, 2026, favored the tech company, it established a critical legal precedent: consent provided by a Truecaller user does not automatically extend to the individuals whose contact details are stored in that user’s address book.

The Case: Non-Users Challenge Data Collection

The case was brought forward by the Data Privacy Lawyers Association of Nigeria on behalf of several non-users. The plaintiffs alleged that Truecaller was collecting and making their phone numbers accessible without their explicit authorization. They argued that the company was relying primarily on contacts saved in the mobile devices of its active users to build its database.

Court’s Ruling: Consent Distinction and Lack of Proven Harm

The court ruled that the consent of a single user cannot be equated with the consent of a third party whose data is being processed. This distinction highlights the importance of individual data sovereignty in privacy law.

However, the court ultimately rejected the plaintiffs’ claims, determining that they had not sufficiently demonstrated a violation of their rights that would justify the damages sought.

Truecaller’s Position: Public Safety and Opt-Out Options

Truecaller maintains that its call identification and spam/fraud detection services serve critical public safety objectives. The company emphasizes that these features help protect users from malicious calls and fraudulent activities.

In response to privacy concerns, Truecaller has announced plans to implement a procedure allowing non-users to request the removal of their contact details from certain search functionalities, providing a clear opt-out mechanism for those who do not wish to be listed.