The Limitation Law Quagmire: Is There a Perpetual Right to Institute an Action in Court Under a Contract of Employment?

Conventionally, the Nigerian courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld the provisions of statutes that limit the period within which an action may be filed.

However, the recent decisions of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in the cases of Akuma and Nkume have challenged this general rule by excluding employment-related disputes from the application of statutes of limitation.

These decisions have substantial implications for the jurisprudence of limitation laws in Nigeria, raising concerns about the efficacy of limitation statutes in regulating the period within which legal actions may be filed.

This article by Partner Godwin Omoaka and Associate Olanrewaju Awe demonstrates that the new exception to the general rule is well-founded in light of the significant impact of the decisions on the jurisprudence of Nigeria’s statute of limitations laws.

View full publication