Wale Babalakin’s Sacrifice: The Price of Ending a Two-Decade Airport War

In a historic move, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, chairman of Bi-Courtney Group, has signed away a N132 billion award won at the Supreme Court in October 2026, marking the end of a two-decade legal battle over the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 2, ThisDayLive reports. The airport, owned by Bi-Courtney, had been in dispute with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) since 2006 over the management of the terminal. According to ThisDayLive, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Bi-Courtney, awarding them N132 billion in damages. However, collecting the award has proven to be a challenge, as Babalakin’s decision to sign it away highlights. This significant sacrifice by Babalakin reflects the ongoing challenges faced by businesses in navigating complex legal disputes with the Nigerian government. The move could set a precedent for future cases, demonstrating the importance of resolving such disputes for the benefit of all parties involved. ThisDayLive did not provide details on when the facility began operating or whether the payment has been received.