The Nigerian tech ecosystem has grown tremendously, contributing significantly to the country’s economy in the past, having raised over $1.7 billion in funding, in 2021 especially.
While the industry is being described as a major growth enabler in terms of decent work, recent happenings have shown that behind the good image represented outside of the Nigerian tech space, lies a toxic environment with unfavourable work conditions.
On Monday, several Nigerian startup CEO’s were accused of creating a toxic work environment for their employees after TechCabal published an article. Since then, over 25,000 people have called out horrible bosses on the popular social media- Twitter using the #HorribleBosses, #toxicworkplace.
So far, the companies listed in the toxic workplace scandal include Bento, uLesson, SheLeadsAfrica, among others.
BusinessDay spoke with a tech startup founder who chose to be anonymous, on the ongoing discourse and he explained the situation as a dicey one and wouldn’t want to talk about it because of his affiliations with a few of them. To get their own side of the story, BusinessDay was told that they haven’t been responding to calls or messages.
One of the CEOs of the company listed- Bento Africa is Ebun Okunbajo, who allegedly subjected his employees to inhumane conditions including emotional and verbal abuse.
Ex-employees also revealed gaps in Bento’s employment contract, specifically where leave days and time off were concerned. According to one of them, while Okubanjo promised employees that they could take time off when they needed it, he usually says that breaks are for pussies and fuckers, and whoever takes time out of the office for a whole week is a weak member of the team and not needed in the organisation.
Upon realising the publicity of his personality after he was called out on Twitter by ex employers, @Mal_Baffa revealed that Okubanjo called for a staff meeting at 10:45pm to apologise to his staff members.
Ebun is calling staff meeting to apologise at 10:50pm.
Sim Shagaya is calling Townhall at 11:30pm.
What is the definition of Toxic workplace again?#HorribleBosses— Adetunji Adeniran #AA (@kingadetunji_) March 21, 2022
While this move is expected to be seen as a positive one, many Nigerians advise that Okubanjo sees a therapist to correct his character flaw as regards how he treats his employees the way that he does.
Read also: Eunisell highlights equal-gender workplace environment
On the contrary, some people have attributed the toxic behaviours of employers to be as a result of the employers in their workforce, as well as their experiences with ex employers in the past.
People are speaking up about the work culture at Kuda, Cars45, etc and then the Ebun guy, but omooo the poor work ethic of most employees will drive you crazy.
The high handedness of most employers come from trauma. Previous workers fit don show them shege!
— $eniorMan (@Primus_AO) March 21, 2022
Sim Shagaya, founder and CEO of uLesson Education Limited, an app built to make education available to learners across Africa is also on the list of horrible bosses who make the work environment toxic. Daniel Emeka, founder, Black Bamboo Media, also made it to the list.
#HoribbleBosses.
Sim Shagaya went to speak on the Space? I would have loved to hear him. But ULesson isn’t’t one of the best places to work, especially if you work in the sales team. The team was (cos I can’t say for now) headed by bullies. #HorribleBosses https://t.co/vwUMnBAZwC
— Victor (@UgooNjoku) March 21, 2022
For SheLeadsAfrica, most Nigerians expected more from them since they are a women-based organisation at the core of helping smart and ambitious young African women live their best lives, blaming their toxicity on the fact that women who are seen as feminists but disguise on the back of women supporting each other are the worst when it comes to issues like this.
I’m not surprised that she leads Africa is on this list…because it’s all those women or organizations that use to carry feminism on their heads that are the worst of the worst . https://t.co/5dWbJl7rAQ
— all the bright places (@Rachelwithlove_) March 22, 2022
Corp members who have also served in some of these companies are not left out of the toxicity that exists in these companies. @missalledgedly explained how she could not complain when sent on errands at the expense of what she primarily went there for, and was threatened with her clearance if she fails to comply.
My NYSC days , I ran more errands than I did my entire life back at my parents. How dare you complain, shebi you don’t want clearance for your PPA? #HorribleBosses
Kiki
She leads Africa https://t.co/0XlNPmKxBO— missalledgedly (@missalledgedly) March 22, 2022
Speaking on the reactions of Okubanjo and others, Victoria Crandall, founder of No Filter PR, a Lagos-based PR and communications strategist tweeted that it is helpful to understand the systemic/material conditions that push founders to be defensive in the face of ‘just’ criticism.
A founder who she spoke with criticized the Bento piece as he feared it would sink the company. According to the founder, “don’t destroy a company because in Nigeria we are struggling. We need jobs.”
I had an interesting conversation w/ a founder who spoke passionately about the #horriblebosses discourse. He criticized the Bento piece as he feared it would sink the company – “don’t destroy a company because in Nigeria we’re struggling. We need jobs.” 1/
— Victoria Crandall (@tori_crandall) March 22, 2022
While there is so much unrest on the Twitter space right now, Iyin Aboyeji, Founder, Future Africa @iaboyeji has called out a solution to the problem. “ The problem is founders don’t know how to build healthy workplaces. My solution is that founders should hire managers who can help them do that and learn from them. Asking founders to ‘be better’ alone is not a solution.”
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