SeamlessHR, a provider of HR, payroll, learning, and recruitment solutions for businesses worldwide, processed more than N950 billion (over $600 million) in salaries across Africa in 2025, nearly doubling the N500 billion recorded in 2023.
The milestone reflects the company’s growing role in supporting payroll execution, HR operations, and workforce management for organizations across banking and financial services, oil and gas, retail, and the public sector.
“Payroll is the most trusted system in any organization. If it fails, trust begins to break down,” said Dr Emmanuel Okeleji, CEO of SeamlessHR. “Our responsibility is to ensure that millions of African workers are paid accurately, on time, and in full every single month, while giving employers the confidence to scale without operational risk. When you process payroll at this scale, you are operating critical infrastructure.”
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Headquartered in Lagos with additional offices in Kenya and Ghana, SeamlessHR powers payroll for thousands of organizations and millions of employees across the continent. Its end-to-end platform enables businesses to manage the entire HR lifecycle from hiring and onboarding to retention and exit, through an integrated suite or modular deployment.
Core solutions include Applicant Tracking System (ATS), employee onboarding, payroll processing, leave management, performance management, talent development, succession and workforce planning, time and attendance, and learning and development. Leading enterprises and fast-growing businesses such as FCMB, Sterling Bank, Wema Bank, and VFD Group rely on the platform to manage payroll accurately at scale, with many also leveraging it for salary disbursements.
Founded in 2018 by Dr Emmanuel Okeleji and Deji Lana, SeamlessHR has continued to position workforce technology as a driver of productivity and organisational efficiency. In 2024, the company received the Business Leadership Award at the inaugural Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Mega Awards, alongside multinational corporations including TotalEnergies, MTN, Shell, Chevron, and ExxonMobil.
In January 2025, the company raised $10 million led by several prominent investors, including TLcom Capital, Capria Ventures, and Ingressive Capital. This investment is a significant endorsement of SeamlessHR’s vision and potential for growth. With the funding, SeamlessHR announced plans to use it to expand its operations, enhance its product offerings, and strengthen its market presence.
The African HR technology market is rapidly expanding, driven by the increasing adoption of digital solutions by businesses. With the rise in the use of smartphone and internet penetration, the growth of remote and hybrid work, and the need to manage distributed teams across borders are pushing companies to adopt cloud-based HR, payroll, and talent management platforms.
A major driver is regulatory complexity. As labour and tax rules evolve across different jurisdictions, businesses increasingly rely on automated systems to handle payroll accuracy, statutory deductions, and reporting. This reduces operational risk while improving trust between employers and employees especially important in sectors with large workforces such as banking, telecoms, retail, and oil and gas.
Notably, SeamlessHR is well-positioned to tap into this growing market, with its innovative platform and experienced management team. The startup is poised to capitalize on the growing demand for HR technology solutions in Africa.
Outlook
As African businesses expand and formalise operations, the company is expected to deepen its role as a critical layer of digital infrastructure supporting employment transparency, compliance, and financial inclusion.
Industry observers anticipate further regional expansion, broader integration with financial ecosystems, and enhanced automation capabilities as organisations demand more resilient systems to manage people, payments, and performance at scale.