Employers From Hell? Lagos-Based Tech Company Under Fire For “Using & Dumping Developers Without Pay”
On today’s edition of “Employers From Hell”, a Lagos-based technology company known as OneHub Nigeria is being called out for “using and dumping software engineers with reckless abandon.”
According to complaints from past and present employees making the rounds on social media, OneHub has built an entire operation out of hiring developers, getting them to put in serious work, defaulting on salaries, firing anyone who dares to complain about the non-payment of salaries, recruiting new developers to replace them, and repeating the entire process.
At the moment, several developers who have not been paid since as far back as October last year and have made their grievances known, have been unceremoniously dismissed and are being threatened to return the laptops they were provided with within 7 days or face some kind of consequence.
People familiar with the company, including ex-Andelan Babajide Durushola who is SafeBoda Nigeria’s Country Manager, say OneHub is headed by one Akin Oluwaleye who rules with an iron fist, is well-connected and has perfected the art of using developers to build products and denying them pay. Then still put out vacancies to hire new developers while still owing others months of salary.
We cannot continue to protect OneHub ! Pls let’s name the company ! Let’s not hide cos it’s unfair https://t.co/nXReUZVDx6
— Babájídé Dúróshọlá (@Babajiide) February 29, 2020
On its LinkedIn page, OneHub describes itself as a “digital transformation services and solutions provider based in Lagos, Nigeria.
The company claims to be diligently focused on creating digital platforms, products and services that promote ease of doing business, convenience and financial access for its clients and partners in all sectors of the African economy.
To make this happen, the company obviously hires developers of different skill-levels, promising a paycheck that seems commiserate with the work to be put in.
But according to no less than nine developers who have had stints with the company which they describe as unsavoury, the paychecks don’t come as often as they should. And when someone speaks up, they are scapegoated — their appointment is terminated. And then, the company puts out fresh vacancies.
One of the affected developers who spoke to Sultan Akintunde of DevCareer — a nonprofit tech institution which recently got financial support from Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey and is supporting the rising tech ecosystem in Africa by grooming and supporting developers — said since he joined the company in November 2019, he hasn’t received any salary payment.
“I got employed in November, worked and all. After the first month, no pay. The second month, December, still no pay. We went on break and got back in January 2020, still no pay,” the developer lamented.
Another one of their Devs just shared his experience with me now.
From other info, it seems the MD is like a connected person and feels he can’t be held accountable. So he hires Devs, uses them without paying and when they start complaining, he terminates their contract. pic.twitter.com/6I6J6aZEu8— Name cannot be blank (@hackSultan) February 29, 2020
“So, late February, they called a meeting and said they can’t continue with the appointment and all. Terminated my appointment.”
This developer also said the company demanded that he and other developers that are being let go without pay also return the laptops they were given to work with but they all rebuffed this demand, maintaining that they would hold on to the laptops until they receive all the salaries owed them.
OneHub has since sent out emails asking that the laptops be returned within 7 days and that some kind of credit note will be issued.
This is the email that was sent to the employees ! pic.twitter.com/GyaEIQDvWo
— Babájídé Dúróshọlá (@Babajiide) February 29, 2020
Another developer who has been with the company since 2018 said salaries were never stable throughout his stay but things got a lot worse in November 2019.
Another one:
Moving from an Unstable salary payment to no salary payment. One of the major issues here is that this so-called company is still hiring more people. They still hired people this January while they haven’t paid people since November. pic.twitter.com/FkwHG4PgVt— Name cannot be blank (@hackSultan) February 29, 2020
According to other submissions, OneHub tends to conveniently blame its non-payment of salaries on some company account issues which the developers say is a poor attempt at fibbing.
Another one:
Predators like this are everywhere, taking advantage of people.
How can you still be interviewing people and hiring new staff when you haven’t paid your current staff. All in the name of there’s nothing anyone can do. pic.twitter.com/6uwsw2e34P— Name cannot be blank (@hackSultan) February 29, 2020
A representative of OneHub who spoke to WeeTracker on a phone call didn’t deny the company’s troubles with salary payments, saying that “things cannot be perfect” and offering to put us in touch with the appropriate authorities who are best-positioned to address the claims.
“I was made aware of the situation yesterday and I’m also digging into it and the people who are involved. Things cannot be perfect, there will be issues but those issues are going to be resolved one way or another. A lot of issues are involved and I will put you in touch with the right person,” the OneHub representative said.
But this contact has since gone dark as no further word has been heard and efforts to re-establish contact have proved futile as the phone lines of OneHub Nigeria and the OneHub representative who spoke to us earlier seem to be disconnected.
At the moment, OneHub is being chided for lying that they have issues with their salary payment accounts right from the start but going ahead to hire developers and kicking them out after 3 months without pay. Rinse and repeat. And scores are calling for legal action.
Featured Image Courtesy: InfoGuideNigeria
Note: This is a developing story. The article is based on the claims made by the aggrieved developers.
