-1738776797691-843294465.jpeg&w=1920&q=75)
- Bento Africa’s former Chief Executive Officer, Ebun Okubanjo, allegedly sacked the company’s tech team following a protest over delayed January salary
- The lay-off comes a week after the company was called out on social media for alleged forging of tax receipts and failure to remit tax and pension payments on behalf of clients
- The team’s sack has affected the payroll processing operations of Bento
The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bento Africa, Ebun Okubanjo, has allegedly sacked the company’s tech team following a protest over delayed January salary.
The laying-off of the 10-person team on Friday, January 31, comes a week after the company was called out on social media over allegations of financial impropriety including alleged forging of tax receipts and failure to remit tax and pension payments on behalf of clients.
The Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are said to have commenced investigations into the allegations.
Okubanjo deactivated employees’ work emails
According to TechCabal, Okubanjo informed the employees a day after he resigned from the company that their salaries would be “strategically delayed” until they processed all pending payroll for customers.
He claimed the salary delay was a strategy in anticipation of resignations following the ongoing controversies around the company, while stressing that the company has a history of prompt salary payments, even for short-term employees.
Bento’s ex-CEO was said to have deactivated their work emails without pay when they refused to get on with work as a result of the controversies and uncertainties surrounding the company, treating the employees’ protest as resignations.
In a Google Chat message, Okubanjo claimed the employees were attempting to force his hand and offered to divide the withheld salaries among any employees willing to stay and process payroll, according to TechCabal.
He stated, “If we end up with two employees making 3 million each, that is it.”
But no one took up his offer.
Ex-employees lamented delayed salary
Bento’s tech team was primarily made up of young engineers in the early stages of their careers, with most working with the company for a little over a year as the last of the founding tech team resigned in 2024, according to TechCabal.
One of the employees affected by the sack wrote in a Google Chat message that the sacked staff continued to work despite not knowing where the company was headed, but agreed to down-tools until they all received their pay.
The ex-employee wrote, “It’s January, and everyone is going through it financially.
“Even amidst all the chaos, we’re still here working without knowing where the company is headed. The team has collectively agreed to halt all operations until we get paid.”
Effect on Bento’s operations
The tech team’s lay-off has affected the payroll processing operations for Bento’s customers.
An employee said, “With all the engineers gone, there is almost no one to run payroll.”
The Nigerian payroll and human resource management platform previously automated salary disbursements, but has been processing payments manually since 2024 due to issues with payment processors and underfunded accounts.
Bento’s CEO resigns amid allegations, launches AI-powered sales assistant
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Chief Executive Officer of Bento Africa, Ebun Okubanjo, resigned his position amid investigations over alleged financial impropriety, including forging tax receipts and failure to remit tax and pension payments on behalf of clients.
Okubanjo announced his resignation in an email to the board of directors of Bento, noting that he is also giving up his equity and debt holdings in the company.
