Justice (Dr.) I.J. Essien of the National Industrial Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has adjourned the N14.091 billion claim by 36 former employees of Chevron Nigeria Limited regarding denied retirement benefits and entitlements to December 9, 2025.

In the suit, 1st claimant, Lawrence Olatunji Akeju, said he sued for himself and on behalf of 35 former employees of Chevron Nigeria Limited, who retired in 1991.

Represented by Adegbola Abayomi and others, the claimants are claiming N167 million per claimant for the denied housing benefits and N600 million for the denied gratuities, totaling N14.09 billion in damages.

The claim also includes legal fees, which the claimants argue would have been unnecessary had the defendant fulfilled its obligations.

The claimants urged the court to recognise their entitlements and award damages for the hardships suffered due to the denial of benefits.

They emphasised the mental and financial toll the situation has taken on them, with some claimants having passed away due to the stress of their circumstances.

The claimants who were part of a workforce reduction policy implemented by Chevron in 1991, which included specified terminal benefits, said they were denied certain entitlements, prompting them to seek legal redress after unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issues directly with the defendant.

The retirement package included a pension for life, gratuity, and comprehensive medical services for retirees and their families.

Others were educational assistance for up to four children, housing benefits, including gifts of houses to retirees living in Chevron’s housing estate and absorption of mortgages for certain retirees.

Additional items, such as household appliances, were also part of the supplemental benefits.

A significant number of claimants claimed they were denied their promised housing benefits, leading to financial hardship due to high rental costs.

The claimants assert that the defendant’s failure to provide these benefits constitutes a violation of their rights and the agreed retirement policy.

As a result, the claimants engaged an estate valuer to assess the current cost of a 4-bedroom bungalow, which has significantly increased since 2016 due to inflation and currency depreciation.

The claimants are seeking declarations that the defendant’s actions have caused continuous injuries and deprivation of their terminal benefits and violated their constitutional rights.

In response, the defendant, through its lead counsel, Chinasa Unaegbunam (SAN) filed a preliminary objection, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.

The claims, he argued, are statute-barred under Lagos State Limitation Law.

In addition, the defendant argued that the claimants lack common interests and proper authority to sue.

But the claimants dismissed the defendant’s submissions, arguing that it is estopped from denying the promised housing benefits based on the retirement policy.