A group of more than 60 former employees of Premium Pension Limited has filed a lawsuit against the company at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja, challenging what they describe as unlawful termination and the company’s failure to pay their gratuities and other entitlements.
The suit, filed by four former employees—Ibrahim Raji, Emmanuel Folorunsho, Mustapha Sulaiman, and Muhammed Ibrahim—represents themselves and the other affected staff, all of whom were reportedly disengaged from the firm without explanation.
According to the claimants, their disengagement was carried out “with malice and bad faith,” adding that Premium Pension did not provide reasons for terminating their employment and has since failed to settle their legitimate benefits despite repeated demands. They said this situation has left them facing significant financial hardship.
The former staff are seeking eight declaratory orders and nine monetary claims, including court recognition of the validity of their employment contracts from the date of appointment until their dismissal. They also want the court to declare that their termination was wrongful, illegal, and carried out without just cause. The claimants contend that the company neither provided adequate notice nor paid salaries in lieu of notice, which they argue contravenes the terms of their contracts.
In addition, the claimants are requesting that the court compel Premium Pension to pay their gross emoluments, equivalent to three months’ salary as outlined in their disengagement letters. They are also demanding the payment of approved exit and gratuity packages, which, they say, had been previously sanctioned by the company’s board and communicated to staff.
The suit also highlights alleged irregularities in the handling of the termination letters. The claimants noted that the letters, dated August 4, 2025, were backdated to July 29, 2025, and made effective from August 1, 2025. They argue that they had already resumed work in August, which entitled them to the annual education subsidy paid that month. They accused the company of deliberately backdating the letters to deny them earned benefits, including notice or payment in lieu.
Further allegations in the suit include the company’s refusal to pay profit shares, performance bonuses, and productivity incentives, despite repeated requests. The former employees said these actions have caused “financial hardship and emotional distress” for them and their families.
The claimants also contrasted their treatment with that of other departing employees, noting that Premium Pension had historically paid exit packages and gratuities but has allegedly denied them similar benefits “out of greed and refusal to act responsibly.”
Attempts to resolve the matter through discussions with former board chairmen—Alhaji Aliyu Abdurrahman Dikko, Mr. Ibrahim Alhassan Babayo, and Yunusa Yakubu—were reportedly unsuccessful, prompting the legal action.
Premium Pension Limited has been named as the sole defendant in the suit, and the matter is now before the National Industrial Court, where the claimants hope to obtain both declaratory and financial relief.