08/02/2026
The ₦500 Ticket That Cost ₦500,000: A "Locus Classicus" Lesson.
Think your "No-Refund" policy is cast in stone? Think again.
In 2021, a legal practitioner named Patrick Chukwuma bought a ₦500 ticket from Peace Mass Transit. After waiting for two hours for a bus that refused to move, he asked for a refund.
The staff pointed at the ticket. The ticket said: "NO REFUND OF MONEY AFTER PAYMENT." They laughed it off.
Patrick didn't laugh back. He sued.
The Verdict that Shook the Industry
In a landmark judgment (Suit No: E/514/2021), the Enugu State High Court didn’t just order a refund of the ₦500. Hon. Justice C.O. Ajah awarded Patrick ₦500,000 in damages!
Why the Court Sided with the Passenger:
The FCCPA is Supreme: Under Section 120 of the FCCPA 2018, consumers have a statutory right to cancel bookings and receive a refund.
Company Policies Aren't Laws: The court held that a "No Refund" policy printed on a ticket is illegal, null, and void because it attempts to override the law (Section 129).
Reasonable Charges Only: You can keep a small "cancellation fee," but you cannot keep 100% of the money for a service you didn't provide or goods you didn't deliver.
The Lesson for Business Owners
Whether you are a transport giant or a service provider handling ₦100,000 contracts, your internal "policies" do not sit above Federal Law.
If you haven't rendered the service, you cannot pocket the full fee.
This case is a reminder that contracts must be drafted with enforceable consumer-law protections in mind.
Don't wait for a ₦500 mistake to turn into a ₦500,000 headache.
Let’s review your refund policies today! ⚖️👇
Legal Clique Law Firm
📞 07077782440
🌐 www.legalcliquelawfirm.com
Good contracts protect businesses. Better contracts respect the law.
