Court Orders Medview Airlines To Pay Ex-Executive $148,000 Unpaid Salaries

The Lagos division of the National Industrial Court, has ordered Medview Airlines Plc to pay its former Head of Commercial, Mr. Trevor George Henry, a total sum of $148,000 USD, after finding that the airline unlawfully withheld his salaries for 16 months.

Justice (Prof.) Elizabeth A. Oji in a judgment delivered on July 9, 2026, held that the claimant successfully established that Medview owed him outstanding salaries amounting to $128,000 USD and awarded an additional $20,000 USD as general damages for breach of contract, hardship and loss of use of money. 

Henry through his lawyer, Barrister Adewale Lawal, had sued the airline after resigning in September 2019, alleging that despite earning a contractual monthly salary of $8,000, he was paid for only four months during his 20-month employment. 

He told the court that repeated verbal and written demands for his unpaid salaries were ignored, forcing him to resign while facing financial hardship, eviction threats and emotional distress.

Medview Airlines through its counsel, I. J. Uwakwe, admitted employing the claimant and agreed on the salary terms but argued that severe financial challenges, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, disrupted salary payments. 

The airline also claimed Henry consented to prorated salary payments and agreed to defer his outstanding entitlements after being allowed to retain his CERPAC work permit to secure employment elsewhere.

However, Justice Oji rejected the airline’s defence, holding that financial hardship and the pandemic could not excuse the failure to pay earned wages. 

The court further found no evidence of any agreement postponing payment of salaries or waiving the claimant’s rights.

The judge noted that the claimant’s employment contract required monthly salary payments and that his several demand letters before filing the suit disproved the defendant’s argument that the action was premature.

The court also dismissed Medview’s reliance on the claimant’s CERPAC card, observing that the document expressly stated “Not Transferable.” The court then accepted evidence that Henry returned the permit before taking up another job with a different work authorization.

In addition to the monetary awards, the court granted the claimant N2 million as costs of the action.

Justice Oji directed Medview Airlines to pay all sums within 30 days, failing which the judgment debt will attract interest at the rate of 10 per cent per annum until fully liquidated.