A legal showdown has commenced between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a group of former employees who were dismissed during a mass termination exercise earlier in 2024.
The aggrieved staff, represented by Stephen Gana and 32 others, filed a class-action lawsuit at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja, alleging that the CBN violated Nigerian labour laws, internal policies, and their contractual rights during the termination process.
The retrenched employees assert that the terminations, formalized through letters titled “Reorganisational and Human Capital Restructuring” dated April 5, 2024, breached Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution and the CBN’s Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual (HRPPM). They argue that the process lacked the required consultation and fair hearing stipulated by law.
In their originating summons, filed on July 4, 2024, under the NICN Civil Procedure Rules 2017, the claimants raised key legal issues, including whether their constitutional rights to fair hearing were violated both before and after the dismissals. They contend that the termination letters, which cited “restructuring” as the reason, were arbitrary, unlawful, and unconstitutional.
The former employees are seeking several judicial remedies, including:
- Immediate reinstatement to their former positions.
- Payment of all outstanding salaries and benefits from the date of termination.
- A restraining order to prevent the CBN from dismissing them without due process in the future.
The claimants emphasized Article 16.4.1 of the HRPPM, which mandates consultation with the Joint Consultative Council and adherence to fair procedures before implementing employment decisions affecting staff. They alleged that the CBN failed to comply with this provision, giving them only three days to vacate their positions and return official property.
The case, now before the NICN, could establish a significant precedent for employment practices within Nigeria’s banking sector. The court’s ruling will determine whether the dismissed employees can achieve justice and prompt a reassessment of labour policies at the apex bank.
