Private Nigerian airline XEJet Limited has commenced legal action against the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) and the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria (AGHAN), challenging the alleged disclosure of its financial information and claims that it owed approximately N300 million.
The airline has also taken legal action against four media organisations over reports concerning the alleged indebtedness.
The cases were filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
In its suit against SAHCO, XEJet is challenging the alleged release of information about its account to AGHAN, as well as SAHCO’s subsequent decision to stop providing ground-handling services to the airline.
XEJet said it entered into a standard ground-handling agreement with SAHCO, effective from January 1, 2026, covering operations at the Lagos, Abuja, Benin, Asaba and Warri airports.
The airline maintained that the agreement included confidentiality clauses under which both parties were required to safeguard information exchanged during negotiations and throughout the delivery of the agreed services.
According to XEJet, SAHCO sent letters dated September 4 and September 23, 2026, demanding payment of outstanding invoices.
The airline said the September 23 correspondence gave it until September 28 to either clear the outstanding balance or reach an acceptable payment arrangement with SAHCO.
XEJet alleged, however, that SAHCO stopped providing ground-handling services at about 8 am on September 28, before the deadline stated in the letter had elapsed.
The airline said it subsequently transferred N7 million to SAHCO in two separate payments on September 28. It added that a further N208.898 million was paid the following day, taking its total payment to N215.898 million.
XEJet further alleged that AGHAN issued a statement later on September 28 instructing its members to withdraw ground-handling services from the airline. According to the airline, the association based the directive on an alleged N300 million debt and claims that XEJet had failed to comply with agreed payment arrangements.
The statement was later carried by four media organisations, prompting the airline to institute a separate action against AGHAN and the publishers.
XEJet argued that AGHAN was not a signatory to its agreement with SAHCO and had no authorisation to receive or publish information relating to the airline’s account.
The airline further contended that the financial details contained in AGHAN’s statement could only have originated from SAHCO’s invoices, account statements or other records arising from its dealings with the airline.
In its action against SAHCO, XEJet is asking the court to recognise that information concerning its account was confidential and that the ground-handling company had no authority to disclose such information to AGHAN or the media without its consent.
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The airline is also seeking a declaration that SAHCO was not contractually entitled to suspend or terminate ground-handling services solely because of non-payment. It argues that the September 28 withdrawal amounted to a breach of the parties’ agreement.
XEJet is demanding N1 billion in general damages over the alleged breach of confidentiality and a further N100 million in damages for what it described as the wrongful withdrawal of ground-handling services.
XEJet Challenges Reports on Alleged N300m Debt
In its separate case against AGHAN and the four media organisations, XEJet described reports concerning the alleged N300 million debt as false, malicious and defamatory.
AGHAN had claimed that it instructed its members to stop providing services to XEJet because the airline had allegedly failed to honour agreed payment arrangements and owed its members about N300 million.
XEJet disputed the claim, maintaining that it had no outstanding debt to any other member of AGHAN apart from the account it had with SAHCO.
The airline said the SAHCO account, which amounted to N215.898 million, had been completely settled through payments made on September 28 and 29.
It also denied entering into or breaching any payment plan, insisting that negotiations with SAHCO were still underway when AGHAN released its statement.
According to XEJet, the subsequent media reports presented the airline as an operator that had deliberately refused to pay its debts, failed to keep to payment agreements and was being run by “recalcitrant” individuals.
The airline further claimed that the publications gave the impression that it was financially distressed, uncreditworthy and unable to maintain its flight operations.
XEJet said the reports triggered inquiries from creditors, aircraft lessors and business partners, who contacted the airline’s management seeking clarification about its financial condition and ability to continue operating.
The airline is seeking N10 billion in general damages over the alleged libel, in addition to N5 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages.
It is also asking the court to compel the defendants to issue a retraction and apology, remove the disputed reports from their online platforms, and refrain from publishing the statements or similar allegations in the future.
XEJet is further claiming N50 million as the cost of prosecuting the legal action.
