Sixty-two former employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have urged the National Industrial Court in Abuja to reject the apex bank’s application seeking to alter the procedure of their ongoing lawsuit challenging their dismissals.
The ex-staff, whose employment was terminated between February and May 2024 under a reorganisation exercise, argued that their termination violated provisions of the CBN Act 2007 and the bank’s internal human resource policies. They are seeking nullification of the termination letters, reinstatement to their former or higher positions, and compensation for salaries and allowances lost due to the alleged unlawful dismissal.
Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that the CBN, represented by Wilson Inam, filed a motion asking the court to convert the claimants’ originating summons to a writ of summons. Inam argued that the dispute involved substantial factual issues requiring oral evidence. He contended that the claimants’ failure to file a counter-affidavit implied admission of the bank’s assertions.
However, counsel for the claimants, Senior Advocate Ola Olanipekun, described the application as premature, insisting that the court could still adjudicate the matter based on points of law. Olanipekun highlighted that the failure to file a counter-affidavit did not prevent the claimants from responding, citing relevant Supreme Court rulings including Famfa Oil Ltd v. Attorney-General of the Federation and National Bank of Nigeria v. Alakija to support his stance.
The ex-staff previously filed separate suits challenging their termination letters dated May 23, 2024, titled “RE-ORGANISATION.” They argued that the disengagements were carried out without due process and claimed that public backlash subsequently forced the bank to implement an early exit programme.
On November 27, 2025, the court fined the CBN N620,000 for delaying proceedings in the matter, a penalty that has since been paid. The ongoing litigation underscores tensions between the apex bank and former employees over alleged unlawful dismissals and procedural lapses during the reorganisation.
The court is expected to rule on whether the CBN’s motion to change the suit process will be entertained, a decision that could set a precedent for how employment disputes in Nigeria’s banking sector are managed in court.
