At VillPress, we believe every voice matters, especially those of young professionals trying to find their footing in Nigeria’s fast-moving tech space. Recently, Chinedum Ezeozue, a junior mobile developer, reached out to us to report what he describes as a troubling experience with a startup called Sippy.
Below, we are reporting Chinedum’s experience as shared with us, based entirely on his account. We have not independently verified the events and are currently attempting to reach out to the company for their side of the story.
Background
Chinedum Ezeozue is an Economics graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He currently works as a Mobile Developer, and also serves part-time as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of an emerging startup.
About Sippy
Sippy is your game-changing wholesale beverage/drinks platform that provides delivery of a wide variety of soft drinks at unbeatable prices. We bring the party to your doorstep and on your schedule without you ever having to leave your comfort zone.
His Experience with Sippy (April–May 2025)
According to Chinedum, he applied to Sippy, a drinks distribution startup, on April 14, 2025. He was invited to the first stage of the interview on April 21, which was conducted virtually and went well. Although he was told the recruitment process would have three stages, it was concluded after two.
The second stage, which took place on April 25, was a technical assessment. Chinedum describes it as extremely difficult and more suited for a senior developer, despite the job listing stating it was a junior-level role (0–2 years of experience). To meet the one-week deadline, he said he made several sacrifices, such as skipping a neighbor’s housewarming party, and eventually submitted the assignment on May 2.
On May 9, Chinedum received an offer letter, which, according to him, raised several red flags:
- His surname was misspelled.
- The salary was listed as ₦100,000, to be paid after the following month, not the same month he would be working.
- The offer contained no mention of working hours, no details about paid time off, and no clear job responsibilities.
Chinedum said he reached out to renegotiate the offer, and the following changes were agreed upon:
- His name would be corrected.
- Salary would be paid within the working month.
- Paid time off would be included.
He signed the revised offer on May 10, which also happened to be his birthday, and resumed work on May 12.
Role Misalignment & Pressure
Chinedum reported that in his first week, he was asked to familiarize himself with the company’s existing mobile codebase. According to him, things felt smooth and encouraging at that stage.
However, by the second week, he said things had changed dramatically. He was given a design file containing over 40 UI screens and was asked to estimate how long it would take to implement everything. As the only mobile developer on the team, he found the task overwhelming and far beyond the expectations for a junior developer.
Chinedum estimated 20–30 working days to deliver the full project, but the management insisted on 10–14 days, a deadline that he says even a senior developer brought in for consultation described as unrealistic.
Despite the pressure, he said his efforts were met with dissatisfaction. At the same time, he noted that the web development team consisted of three frontend developers and one backend developer, while he was expected to handle the entire mobile app alone. This imbalance, he said, contributed to serious mental and emotional strain.
Abrupt Termination
According to Chinedum, by the third week of work, the situation had become unbearable. After facing consistent pressure, he finally spoke up on the very day salaries were expected to be paid. He reminded the team that he was a junior developer and needed support, not pressure.
Rather than receiving feedback or support, Chinedum said he was immediately removed from all work platforms, without any conversation or warning. He claimed this action violated their agreement, which required a two-week notice before termination.
Eventually, he said he was paid ₦60,000 on May 30 for the 18 days he had worked. He noted that he had to request payment three times:
- Once during the initial virtual interview,
- Again, during offer negotiations,
- And finally, right before he was terminated.
Chinedum’s Reflections
In his words, Chinedum described Sippy as a bootstrapped startup largely run by a single individual acting as Chief Digital Officer, HR, Product Manager, and Designer all at once. He said the company, from what he observed, lacks structure, proper onboarding, role clarity, and accountability.
He shared this experience not to attack anyone, but to raise awareness about what junior developers in Nigeria may face. His closing message was clear:
“Junior developers in Nigeria must be extremely cautious when applying to startups—especially those with no clear structure or leadership team.”
He believes that with proper support, young developers can thrive, but only in healthy work environments where they’re treated with fairness and dignity.
Editorial Note
We deeply appreciate Chinedum for speaking up and sharing his story with us.
This report reflects his personal experience as told to VillPress. At the time of publishing, we have not yet heard Sippy’s side of the story, and we are actively reaching out to the company for a response or comment to ensure a balanced record.
Our goal is not to discredit any organisation, but to encourage dialogue, accountability, and a better workplace culture in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, especially for young professionals.
Have a Story to Share?
If you’ve experienced unfair treatment, poor working conditions, or confusing job expectations as a junior professional in Nigeria, you don’t have to stay silent.
Send your experience to editor@villpress.com and let your story be heard. We believe change begins when we start talking openly and honestly.
Let’s build better workplaces together.
