Billionaire businessman Stephen Akintayo is facing fresh scrutiny after several former employees of his GText Homes and GText Group accused the company of unpaid salaries, disputed deductions, workplace harassment and other alleged unfair practices.
The allegations came into the spotlight after a former employee identified as Victoria publicly called out the company over an outstanding salary of ₦395,000. According to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), GText later paid the money following public pressure, after which Victoria said her own case had been resolved but urged attention for former colleagues who were still waiting for money owed to them.
The controversy reportedly widened after another social media account published a list of people allegedly owed by the company, prompting additional former employees to share their experiences.
One of the former employees, Martha Onsachi, told FIJ that she joined GText in 2020 as a customer service representative before moving into sales. She said she won the company’s Marketer of the Year award in 2021 and 2022, with an official car attached to the award. According to her account, she was required to sell ₦200 million worth of properties over a two-year period before the car would become hers. She said she surpassed the target and was subsequently awarded a second car, which she claimed was never given to her.
Onsachi further alleged that when she resigned in 2025, she was presented with an additional agreement requiring her to continue meeting certain conditions and remain available for company inspections for another two years. She said she refused to sign the document and later faced demands for the return of the car.
According to Onsachi, the dispute escalated after people, including individuals she identified as police officers and persons posing as prospective property buyers, allegedly attempted to locate and harass her. She told FIJ that she eventually went to court before the alleged harassment stopped.
The allegations also extended to the company’s internal operations. Paul Ndibuagu, a former human resources manager, alleged that employees’ salaries were sometimes deducted over issues such as failing to participate in meetings or refusing to carry out certain instructions. He also claimed that pension deductions were made without corresponding remittances. FIJ reported that Ndibuagu provided salary records showing deductions from his pay, although GText disputed his account.
An unnamed former finance employee also told FIJ that tax and pension remittances appeared in employment documents but were allegedly not being remitted. The former employee claimed that their salary was delayed after they began investigating the issue and that they were later required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before receiving their pay. These claims have not been independently established beyond the accounts and materials cited by FIJ.
GText has strongly rejected the accusations. In a statement released to FIJ, the company described the allegations as part of a coordinated smear campaign and said the former employees involved had allegedly absconded from their duties and left with company assets, including funds, laptops, mobile phones and, in one case, a company vehicle. The company said it had reported the matter to police and was pursuing investigations.
GText also specifically denied claims concerning alleged retaliatory salary deductions, saying its records did not support the allegations and that deductions were governed by company policy and applicable labour laws.
The latest controversy has also brought renewed attention to previous complaints involving GText. In 2023, FIJ reported a dispute involving businessman Adeshina Ogedengbe, who accused GText Homes of withholding a ₦2.9 million balance from a ₦15 million laterite-supply contract. The company subsequently paid the outstanding amount following FIJ’s report. FIJ also previously reported a separate ₦75 million payment dispute involving Image Me Corporate Service.
Amid the latest backlash, Akintayo has also referenced his relationship with Bishop David Oyedepo in his public messaging. Akintayo has previously described Oyedepo as a spiritual mentor and has publicly recounted meetings and conversations with him.
However, the central issue raised by the former employees remains their allegations concerning salaries, deductions, contracts, staff welfare and disputed company obligations. GText, for its part, maintains that the accusations are false and has accused former workers of misconduct and an organised campaign against the company.
The allegations remain contested, and the claims made by former employees should not be treated as established facts unless independently proven.
