Court orders British Airways to pay Nigerian passenger N53m for breach of contract

The Federal High Court in Lagos has directed British Airways to pay N50 million in damages to a Nigerian passenger, Mr. Stephen Osho, for breach of contract and mistreatment.

In his ruling, Justice Ibrahim Kala stated that Osho suffered undue hardship, inconvenience, and financial loss as a result of the airline’s negligence.

Additionally, the court granted N3 million to cover legal costs, including attorney fees, court summons, and other related expenses stemming from the lengthy legal proceedings and the effects of naira depreciation — bringing the total compensation to N53 million.

Justice Kala noted that Osho successfully established that the airline violated its obligations under the international contract of carriage when it failed to deliver his checked baggage on Flight BA307 from Paris to London on December 2, 2022.

In its defence, British Airways argued that Osho was responsible for his own predicament and urged the court to dismiss the claim. The airline’s counsel also insisted that, if any costs were to be awarded, they should not exceed N60.

The judge, however, dismissed the submission as baseless and inconsistent with the evidence presented before the court.