XEJET Limited has taken legal action against Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) and the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria (AGHAN), accusing them of breaching confidentiality and making disputed claims about the airline’s alleged indebtedness.
The airline filed separate suits at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, following a dispute over ground-handling services and reports that it owed members of AGHAN about N300 million.
XEJet also named four media organisations as defendants in one of the cases over publications relating to the alleged debt. The dispute stems from a ground-handling agreement between XEJet and SAHCO that took effect on January 1, 2026.
The agreement covered ground-handling operations for the airline at airports in Lagos, Abuja, Benin, Asaba and Warri.
According to XEJet, the agreement contained confidentiality obligations requiring information exchanged during the relationship to be kept private.
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The airline said SAHCO sent letters dated September 4 and September 23 demanding payment of outstanding invoices.
XEJet said the second letter set September 28 as the deadline for settling the debt or reaching a satisfactory repayment arrangement.
However, the airline alleged that SAHCO stopped providing ground-handling services at about 8am on September 28, several hours before the deadline expired.
XEJet said it transferred N7 million to SAHCO in two separate payments that day and followed this with another payment of N208.898 million on September 29.
The payments, according to the airline, brought the total amount paid to N215.898 million.
XEJet challenges disclosure of account details
XEJet alleged that AGHAN subsequently issued a statement on September 28 directing its members to suspend ground-handling services to the airline.
The association reportedly claimed that XEJet owed its members approximately N300 million and had failed to honour payment arrangements.
The airline is challenging how information concerning its account became available to AGHAN.
XEJet said AGHAN was not a party to its agreement with SAHCO and that it never authorised the disclosure of details relating to its financial dealings with the ground handler.
It alleged that the information contained in AGHAN’s statement was derived from documents and communications exchanged between XEJet and SAHCO, including invoices and account statements.
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The airline is therefore asking the court to declare that the information was confidential and that SAHCO had no contractual authority to disclose it to AGHAN or the media without XEJet’s consent.
XEJet is also contesting SAHCO’s decision to withdraw its services.
It wants the court to declare that SAHCO was not contractually entitled to suspend ground handling over the outstanding payments in the circumstances and that the September 28 withdrawal constituted a breach of their agreement.
The airline is seeking N1 billion in general damages over the alleged confidentiality breach and another N100 million for the alleged wrongful withdrawal of ground-handling services.
Airline disputes N300m indebtedness claim
In the separate action against AGHAN and four media organisations, XEJet challenged reports that it owed about N300 million to ground handlers.
The airline described the publications as false and defamatory. XEJet maintained that it had no outstanding obligations to other AGHAN members and that the disputed indebtedness related only to its account with SAHCO.
It said that account, which stood at N215.898 million, was fully settled through payments made on September 28 and 29.
The airline also rejected the suggestion that it had entered into a payment plan which it subsequently failed to honour.According to XEJet, negotiations with SAHCO were still ongoing when AGHAN released its statement.
The airline alleged that the publications portrayed it as deliberately refusing to settle its obligations and failing to honour payment commitments.
It further claimed that the reports created an impression that XEJet was financially distressed, lacked creditworthiness and could not reliably operate its flights.
XEJet said the reports triggered inquiries from creditors, aircraft lessors and other business partners, who sought clarification from its management over the airline’s financial position and operations.
The airline is seeking N10 billion in general damages over the alleged libel. It is also demanding N5 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages.
In addition, XEJet wants the defendants to issue a retraction and apology, remove the disputed reports from their online platforms and stop further publication of the statements.
The airline is also seeking N50 million in legal costs.
