Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has fixed November 19, 2026, for further hearing in a suit filed by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) against Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited over an alleged N4.907 billion unpaid training fund contribution for the years 2013 to 2016.
  
The judge fixed the date following a request for adjournment by Seplat’s lawyer, who told the court that the matter was scheduled for the company to open its defence.
  
The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/177/2025, was filed by the ITF and its Governing Council, seeking an order directing Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited to pay the alleged outstanding statutory training contribution of N4.907 billion for the four years.
  
The applicants are also seeking interest at the rate of five per cent per month on the alleged debt from February 13, 2020, until judgment and thereafter until the judgment sum is fully liquidated.
  
In its amended statement of claim, filed pursuant to an order of the court dated January 21, 2025, the ITF maintained that Seplat, as an employer of labour with five or more employees, was liable to make statutory contributions to the Fund.
  
The applicants alleged that the dispute arose from Seplat’s refusal to accept the inclusion of certain staff-related costs in the computation of its yearly payroll for the relevant years.
  
According to the ITF, Seplat objected to the inclusion of contract labour costs involving national and non-national employees outsourced through manpower service providers, including salaries and benefits relating to Nigerian Supernumerary Police (SPY) officers deployed to its facilities.
  
The company also reportedly challenged the inclusion of other benefits paid through third-party manpower providers, as well as a provisional sum representing its contribution to its staff pension fund.
  
The ITF said it explained to Seplat that outsourced contract staff and SPY Police officers were, for the statutory contribution, bona fide employees of the company.
  
The fund added that it relied on a Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 20, 2018, which it said supported its position on the status of the affected workers.
  
The applicants further stated that the Fund issued seven demand notices to Seplat between November 2017 and January 2020 through its financial consultants, Jim Okhai & Co., and solicitors, Clifford Okoye & Co.
  
According to the ITF, several meetings were subsequently held between the parties to reconcile their differences, but the discussions failed to produce an agreement.
  
However, Seplat, in its consequential amended statement of defence, denied owing the ITF any outstanding contribution.
  
The company maintained that it was up to date with its statutory contributions for the period between 2013 and 2016 and had no outstanding liability to the fund.
  
Seplat further stated that the ITF had recognised and presented it with awards in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2021 as the best contributor in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.
 
The energy company also rejected the ITF’s contention that the SPY Police officers deployed to its facilities were its employees, insisting that they remained employees of the Nigeria Police Force.
  
The company described the suit as frivolous and vexatious, arguing that it disclosed no cause of action against it.
  
It consequently urged the court to dismiss the suit and award costs against the ITF on a full indemnity basis.
  
Consequently, Justice Kala adjourned the matter until November 19, 2026, for Seplat Energy to open its defence to the suit.