Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, October 10, 2025
IKOYI, Lagos – A PETROL giant, ExxonMobil has been ordered to pay a massive $1 million (£818,000) in damages after a judge ruled they constructively dismissed a former staff and victimised him.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria hit Exxon Mobil Corporation and its subsidiary Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited with the massive bill in a case brought by former employee, Mr Ebede.
The court, sitting in Lagos, ruled that Mr Ebede’s 2018 retirement letter was, in fact, a constructive dismissal—meaning the firm’s actions forced him to quit.
Hon. Justice Rabiu Gwandu ruled that Mr Ebede had been victimised by the oil behemoths.
The judge slammed the corporation, saying Mr Ebede had proved that his family’s possessions were “withheld” by the company’s orders.
Justice Gwandu ordered Mobil to pay Mr Ebede $387,280 (around £317,000) for the insured value of his personal belongings—which were being shipped to Nigeria from Dubai—within just seven days.
The total award, including the damages and the belongings payout, tops one million US dollars.
Mr Ebede told the court he was forced to resign after suffering alleged harassment while working for the company’s branch, Exxon Mobil Iraqi Limited.
He claimed that when he returned to Nigeria, Mobil refused to release his shipping documents for his belongings to prevent him from using his goods to “provide additional evidence” to support his claims against them.
Mr Ebede said the “incessant oppression, humiliation and unfair treatment” forced him into retirement.
Exxon Mobil denied Mr Ebede was even their employee, arguing his contract was only with the Nigerian subsidiary, a claim the judge dismissed immediately.
Justice Gwandu said he didn’t need a “magnifying glass” to see the name “Exxon Mobil stands advertised on Mr Ebede’s letter of employment like the Statue of Liberty.”
The subsidiary argued Mr Ebede had signed an indemnity certificate, acknowledging a final settlement for his retirement and was therefore barred from suing.
But the judge ruled the firm had failed to dispute the original accusation of forced retirement, which was sufficient ground to find them guilty.
”I hereby find and hold that the actions/inactions of the [firms] that led up to his protested retirement amounted to constructive dismissal,” Justice Gwandu ruled.
