In a landmark ruling that strengthens the fight against workplace discrimination in Nigeria, the National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos has ordered Airtel Networks Limited to pay ₦150.2 million in damages to Mr. Olakunle Jagun, a long-serving employee living with a disability.
Delivering judgment, Hon. Justice Joyce Damachi found Airtel guilty of wrongful termination and discrimination, described the company’s conduct as a “clear violation” of both the Lagos State Special People’s Law 2010 and Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom from discrimination.
Mr. Jagun, who joined Airtel in 2004, became wheelchair-bound following a health crisis in 2007 but continued to serve with distinction until his termination in October 2023. The company had claimed his dismissal was due to “prolonged absence,” citing a so-called wellness test whose results were never disclosed to him.
The court ruled that Airtel failed to follow due process, withheld critical medical information, and acted with bias and disregard for transparency. Justice Damachi noted that the company “serially breached” its own procedures and replaced fairness with “personal opinion of fairness.”
Airtel was ordered to pay Mr. Jagun ₦99.4 million as special damages representing 60 months’ salary, ₦50 million as general and exemplary damages, and ₦831,874.58 as withheld entitlements all within 30 days.
Beyond individual justice, the ruling has sparked national debate over corporate ethics, employee rights, and inclusion in Nigeria’s private sector. Labour activists and human rights advocates have called the case a defining precedent for persons with disabilities, urged vigilance as Airtel moved to appeal the judgment.
Observers said the decision reaffirmed that disability is not inability, and that corporations must uphold the dignity and equal rights of all employees, regardless of physical condition. As the case proceeds to appeal, attention will remain fixed on whether justice for Mr. Jagun and by extension, for countless silent victims of workplace discrimination will endure.
