A combo of Mogaji Wole Arisekola and Paystack Ltd logo Photo: Inshot
By Jimmy Enyeh
Paystack Ltd, a financial technology company that helps businesses accept online and offline payments securely and founded in 2015 by Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi is allegedly enmeshed in a ₦5,422,574 million diversion scandal.
According to a post by Mogaji Wole Arisekola on Facebook, Paystack allegedly diverted the sum of ₦5,422,574 paid by the veteran journalist for the purpose of purchasing a Qatar Airways Business Class ticket from Lagos to London through Doha.
Arisekola stated that he had made payment for a Qatar Airlines ticket in order to attend his daughter’s graduation ceremony in London on 15 July 2026.
He wrote, “On 27 May 2026, I paid ₦5,422,574 for a Qatar Airways Business Class ticket from Lagos to London through Doha. The journey was particularly important to me because I needed to attend my daughter’s graduation ceremony in London on 15 July 2026.
The booking was made under reference number 7QC34K, while the ticket number was recorded as 1047489. I transferred the money through my bank, Parallex Bank, into a Paystack-Titan account provided for the transaction.
Arisekola further stated “After making the payment, I expected to receive my ticket and the necessary travel documents. However, despite repeated requests, neither Qatar Airways nor Paystack provided the ticket or offered a satisfactory explanation for the failure to issue it.
I immediately lodged a complaint with Parallex Bank, informing the bank that I had paid over ₦5.4 million but had not received the ticket. Parallex Bank subsequently contacted Paystack to resolve the matter.
He added that despite confirming payment, his ticket was not issued.
“On 19 June 2026, Paystack reportedly confirmed that the transaction was successful and that the money had been settled. This confirmation made the situation even more disturbing. If the transaction was successful and the payment had been settled, why was my ticket not issued, who received the money, and on whose instruction was the booking subsequently cancelled?
“On 22 June 2026, Parallex Bank again reminded Paystack that I had still not received the ticket for which I had paid. The bank made it clear that I neither requested nor authorised the cancellation of the booking.
Arisekola said he also contacted Qatar Airways on the same day and requested the immediate issuance of his ticket but the airline replied that the payment had allegedly been disputed with his card-issuing bank and that, as a result, the booking had been cancelled.
He said “The explanation was completely inconsistent with the facts of the transaction. I did not pay by card; I paid through a bank transfer. I never disputed the payment, and Parallex Bank did not dispute it on my behalf. Neither the bank nor I authorised Qatar Airways, Paystack or any other party to cancel the booking.
“The critical questions, therefore, remain unanswered: Who falsely represented that I had disputed the payment, who authorised the cancellation, where was the ₦5,422,574 after Paystack confirmed that the transaction had been successfully settled, Why was the money not immediately returned after the booking was cancelled?
“Despite cancelling the booking without my consent, the parties involved failed to refund my money promptly. I was left stranded at a time when I urgently needed to travel for an important family occasion. Because the graduation date was approaching and I could no longer rely on the Qatar Airways booking, I had no alternative but to purchase another ticket on Virgin Atlantic at short notice. This forced me to incur an additional expense of over ₦3 million.
The top rated newshound was infuriated that he could not fly his preferred first class and had to spend another ₦3 million to buy Virgin Atlantic Economic Class
“Ordinarily, I would have preferred to travel First Class. However, the continued withholding of my ₦5,422,574 severely affected my ability to make alternative arrangements. The financial pressure, uncertainty and disruption caused by the incident also affected my health and general well-being.
This is not merely a story about an airline ticket. It raises serious questions about consumer protection, accountability and the integrity of electronic payment systems in Nigeria.
How can a customer transfer more than ₦5 million for a service, receive confirmation that the transaction was successful and settled, yet be denied the service and prevented from recovering his money promptly, how can a transaction made through a bank transfer suddenly be described as a disputed card payment?
“If established businesses operating in Nigeria can treat customers in this manner, what protection does an ordinary Nigerian have?
Arisekola, a seasoned journalist and publisher of The Street Journal Newspaper and Magazine said his lawyers formally wrote to Qatar Airways and Paystack on 10th September 2026 , demanding the immediate refund of the ₦5,422,574 that he paid since 27th May 2026 without receiving either the ticket or a refund. He added that Paystack and its transaction partner, Qatar Airways, refunded his money on 21st of September 2026 (four months) after receiving his lawyer’s letter.
“To me, this raises serious concerns about the alleged illegal diversion of my money and a possible intention to deprive me of the more than ₦5 million paid to Paystack and Qatar Airways.
We have also demanded the disclosure of the precise reason for the cancellation, the date and time it was carried out, whether it was initiated by Qatar Airways or Paystack, and the contractual or legal basis relied upon.
Paystack and Qatar Airways should explain clearly what happened to my money. Nigerians deserve to know how a successfully settled transaction could end with the customer receiving neither the service paid for nor an immediate refund. I have practised journalism for more than four decades, and I believe strongly that institutions entrusted with people’s money must be held accountable. No company should be permitted to hide behind automated messages, conflicting explanations or prolonged silence while retaining a customer’s funds.
“As of the issuance of the formal pre-action notice, the matter remained unresolved. The allegations stated here are based on payment records, banking correspondence and communications exchanged with the parties concerned. Paystack and Qatar Airways should be given the opportunity to provide their full explanations.
Although my money has now been refunded following my lawyer’s intervention, the circumstances surrounding the unauthorised cancellation and prolonged withholding of my money have still not been satisfactorily explained.
Based on the unfavourable development, Arisekola has concluded arrangements to seek a legal redress over the unfortunate incident.
“I am, therefore, prepared to seek legal redress against every party found responsible for the cancellation, the withholding of my money and the consequential losses I suffered. Nigeria cannot genuinely improve its ease of doing business when customers are subjected to situations like this. Businesses must understand that accountability is not a favour to consumers—it is a fundamental obligation. The question remains simple: Who took custody of the ₦5,422,574 after Paystack confirmed that the transaction was successful and settled, and why was my ticket never issued? I have instructed my lawyer to petition the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Office of the Minister of Aviation, requesting appropriate investigations and sanctions against Paystack Ltd and Qatar Airways over their operations in Nigeria.
“Any act of withholding or attempting to take intending customers’ money under the guise of an unauthorised and illegal cancellation must be met with severe punishment. I am determined to seek redress in a court of law, which remains the hope of the common man. Nigerians deserve an answer. Arisekola sounded with a note of finality.
Efforts by NATIONAL WAVES to make officials of Paystack react to the development met a brickwall as calls to the official phone number displayed on the company’s website was switched off as at the time of filing this report.
