Airtel vs. Mr. Olakunle Jagun: A Landmark Case on Workplace Discrimination and Corporate Power

In what legal experts are describing as a watershed moment in Nigeria’s fight against workplace discrimination, the National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos has delivered a landmark judgment against telecommunications giant Airtel Networks Limited, awarding a total of ₦150.2 million in damages to Mr. Olakunle Jagun, a long-serving employee living with a disability.

Presided over by Hon. Justice Joyce Damachi, the Court found Airtel guilty of wrongful termination and discrimination against Mr. Jagun, a wheelchair user who had faithfully served the company since 2004. The ruling described Airtel’s conduct as a “clear violation of the Lagos State Special People’s Law 2010” and of Mr. Jagun’s constitutional right to freedom from discrimination under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Court ordered Airtel to pay Mr. Jagun:

• ₦99,426,880 as special damages (representing 60 months’ salary),

• ₦50 million as general and exemplary damages, and

• ₦831,874.58 as withheld entitlements between January and October 2023 — all within 30 days.

The Story Behind the Case

Mr. Jagun’s ordeal began after a health crisis in 2007 left him dependent on a wheelchair. Despite this, he continued to work with distinction, earning commendations and promotions. However, following a second health challenge in 2022, Airtel subjected him to a “wellness test” — the result of which was never disclosed to him.

Months later, the company concluded he had “incurred permanent disability” and terminated his employment on October 26, 2023, citing prolonged absence in breach of its leave policy. The court later held that Airtel’s decision was unjust, noting that the company failed to follow due process or disclose the test results which it used as the basis for termination.

Justice Damachi ruled that Airtel “serially breached” its own procedures, replacing fairness with “personal opinion of fairness,” and stressed that denying Mr. Jagun access to his medical report violated his rights and the company’s duty of transparency.

A Case That Speaks for the Voiceless

This judgment represents more than one man’s vindication; it exposes a systemic culture where corporate might too often crushes individual rights. It is a classic case of the strong preying on the weak — a global corporation using its vast resources to intimidate and silence an employee living with disability.

Airtel’s action — and now its decision to appeal the ruling — raises serious questions about corporate ethics, accountability, and the protection of workers’ rights in Nigeria. As a publicly quoted company, Airtel owes its profits and reputation to millions of Nigerians. It must not be allowed to trample on the rights of those very citizens on whose loyalty and labour it thrives.

For decades, countless Nigerians have lost limbs, livelihoods, and even their lives in workplaces without receiving justice or adequate compensation. Too many cases of corporate abuse have vanished into silence — buried under the weight of money, influence, and power.

This case must not go the way of others before it.

Civil society groups, human rights advocates, and Nigeria’s labour organisations must closely monitor the appeal process and ensure that Mr. Olakunle Jagun’s case remains in the public eye. The outcome will set an important precedent — one that determines whether people with disabilities can truly find justice in the face of discrimination and corporate intimidation.

The Bigger Picture

Justice Damachi’s decision stands as a reminder that disability is not inability, and that the law recognizes the dignity and equal rights of all Nigerians, regardless of their physical condition. The Lagos State Special People’s Law 2010 explicitly prohibits discrimination in employment and mandates compensation for workers whose disabilities were sustained in the course of employment — a provision the court rightly upheld.

As the case proceeds to appeal, the Nigerian public — and indeed, the world — will be watching to see whether justice for Mr. Olakunle Jagun will stand, or whether another multinational will use its power to bend the scales once again.