Fresh reactions have continued to trail remarks by Moniepoint Chief Executive Officer, Tosin Eniolorunda, on Nigeria’s technical talent gap, after popular content creator, Notindome Comedian, faulted the fintech boss over salary structures and workplace expectations in a video posted days after the executive defended his controversial comments on the country’s workforce crisis.
The controversy went deeper over the last weekend, May 9, 2026, after popular content creator, Notindome Comedian, released a strongly worded response in a viral video where he accused Nigerian employers of demanding “global standards” from workers while refusing to offer globally competitive pay and work conditions.
The comedian’s reaction came days after Mr Eniolorunda stated at The Platform Nigeria’s Workers’ Day edition on Friday, May 1, 2026, that Moniepoint had struggled to fill more than 500 vacancies because many applicants allegedly failed to meet the company’s international standards.
READ RELATED NEWS UPDATES
Senate pushes for stronger CBN oversight of fintechs, tougher action on ponzi schemes
Moniepoint mum as OPay denies alleged CBN’s N1 billion fine
Moniepoint Management visits Shettima
The fintech executive had asserted that Nigeria’s shrinking pool of skilled professionals, worsening educational standards, and migration of technical talent are weakening the country’s competitiveness in the global technology market.
Mr Eniolorunda said during the event, “Not only could we not find people in the quantity and the quality we needed, but the people we found also were not up to the global standards of quality that we needed.”
He further linked the decline in technical talent to internet fraud, social media influence, and what he described as “hook-up culture” among young Nigerians.
He stated further, “I used to think Nigerians are really bright, but I am beginning to feel we need to do something for the general IQ of this country.”
Those comments triggered intense criticism online, with many Nigerians accusing the Moniepoint boss of making sweeping judgments about an entire generation while ignoring the harsh economic realities confronting workers.
In his response video posted on Saturday, Notindome Comedian challenged the Moniepoint chief executive to explain whether Nigerian companies were prepared to match the compensation packages offered by foreign employers before criticising local professionals.
The comedian said, “It’s okay to say that the youth of Nigeria cannot match up with the global standard of what you are looking for.”
“But can you pay global standard fee? Have you asked yourself that question while you have over 500 job vacancies since 2024 till now?”
According to him, many Nigerian youths, particularly members of Generation Z, now prefer remote jobs with foreign firms because such opportunities provide better salaries, flexibility, and career progression.
He said, “People cannot collect the money that you are offering.
“A lot of them work from home and they work for companies abroad and they earn in dollars.”
The comedian, in addition, rejected what he called broad stereotypes about Nigerian youths. He maintained that many Nigerians currently excel in international organisations and technology companies abroad.
He said, “You can’t tell me that you don’t know a lot of bright Nigerians.
“I know a lot of Nigerian ladies, a lot of Nigerian guys that are working for companies abroad.”
Notindome further criticised Moniepoint’s previous sponsorship of Big Brother Naija. He questioned why companies often invest heavily in entertainment rather than initiatives focused on technology and technical development.
He said, “For the fact that MoneyPoint was the headline sponsor for Big Brother Nigeria, it says a lot about the company.
“What is the value of Big Brother Nigeria to the Nigerian youth? Why don’t you support other tech programmes?”
He also argued that poor salaries and difficult economic conditions contribute to some of the social problems frequently blamed on youths by business leaders and public figures.
He stated, “Big men nowadays patronise hook-up girls.
“It’s not for guys collecting N200,000 or N250,000.”
However, after the early reactions from Nigerians that immediately followed his remarks, Mr Eniolorunda, on May 4, released a detailed clarification where he explained that his comments were never intended as an insult to Nigerian youths but rather a frank assessment of the shortage of highly experienced technical professionals still resident in the country.
He wrote, “I have followed with rapt attention the discourse that followed my conversation at The Platform Nigeria on May Day.
“The stark reality is this, opportunities are few and far between, unemployment and underemployment are high and sadly there are too few employers for a huge market such as ours.”
The Moniepoint CEO stressed that his concerns specifically related to senior technical talent capable of operating at global scale, not Nigerians generally.
He stated, “It is important to note that this is not about Nigerians generally, this is about senior Nigerian talents still resident in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is not producing enough high quality senior technical talent and the little we have are emigrating.”
Mr Eniolorunda argued that companies competing globally require specialised expertise that is becoming increasingly scarce within Nigeria’s labour market.
He asked, “How many engineering executives do we have remaining in Nigeria that lead a payments team that handles payments infrastructure processing tens of millions of transactions daily without fail?
“How many senior data scientists do we have in Nigeria that can create data models to appraise millions of customers while managing prudent NPLs?”
He also questioned the number of Nigerian professionals who possess the experience required to scale digital applications rapidly while maintaining sustainable customer acquisition costs.
According to him, the country’s “Japa” wave has worsened the talent shortage by pushing highly skilled professionals abroad.
He said, “The effect of the Japa wave has been very well chronicled.
“As at March 2024, Nigeria had lost around 16,000 medical doctors to other countries, most especially the US and the UK.”
The fintech executive further blamed declining technical education standards for weakening Nigeria’s talent ecosystem. He affirmed that that local institutions are struggling to keep pace with global developments.
He stated, “The quality of technical education is also falling as our standard of education is lagging behind global counterparts.”
Despite the criticism, Mr Eniolorunda insisted that Moniepoint is investing significantly in talent development through programmes designed to strengthen Nigeria’s technology workforce.
He cited the company’s DreamDevs initiative, support for the Federal Government’s 3MTT programme, a partnership with the University of Lagos’ NITHUB through HatchDev, and the company’s Women in Tech internship programme.
He wrote, “In training young talent, Moniepoint has seen a lot of bright spots through our various interventions that are aimed at deepening the talent pool.”
The Moniepoint boss also disclosed that the company pays internationally competitive salaries to retain top Nigerian talents, including employees who relocate abroad.
He said, “Competing globally also means that you spend top dollars to retain top Nigerian talents that you have nurtured.
“We routinely retain Nigerians that emigrate and pay them according to their local market standards.”
He added that Moniepoint currently employs more than 3,500 full-time workers, over 90 per cent of whom are Nigerians.
The dispute has since evolved into a wider national conversation about brain drain, wage structures, education quality, and the widening disconnect between Nigerian employers and young professionals navigating a globalised digital economy.
While some Nigerians supported Mr Eniolorunda’s concerns about declining technical competence and the migration of skilled workers, others argued that many local firms continue to demand world-class productivity without offering the compensation, mentorship, and institutional support required to attract and retain top talent.
Thus, the argument, to many observers, is no longer simply about Moniepoint or one controversial speech. Now it has become a mirror reflecting the anxieties of a country struggling to keep its brightest minds at home while competing in a borderless technology economy.
For More Details, Visit New Daily Prime News New
