How to plan a company retreat for 200 people in Nigeria

Every year at Paystack, we organize a week-long in-person company retreat, known as our annual offsite.

This offsite brings together Stacks from across the globe—Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, UAE, and Ireland—for a week of collaboration, reflection, and cultural immersion.

It’s a time to reset, recharge, and align as a team for the year ahead.

Over the years, our offsites have taken us to diverse locations, including Ghana, Rwanda, and scenic venues across Nigeria. This year, we returned to Lagos, hosting 200 employees at Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate.

Pulling this off required months of thoughtful planning and crafting unique experiences to cater to Stacks. In this blog post, we’ll take you behind the scenes of how we made it happen, sharing lessons learned and practical tips for organizing a company offsite.

Why the offsite matters

While many Paystack teams within the same markets often work together in person, much of our collaboration happens across different countries and time zones. The offsite provides a rare and valuable opportunity for colleagues who work closely but rarely meet face-to-face, to connect in person.

It’s also a chance for Stacks to step away from daily routines, recharge, and reconnect as a team.

Each offsite is guided by a theme that sets the tone for the week. December 2024’s theme, Renaissance, drew inspiration from the historical period of transformation and renewal. It represents a new phase of growth and possibilities for Paystack—a reawakening of sorts, signaling exciting things to come.

The theme encouraged us to reflect on the past, celebrate achievements, and embrace fresh ideas for the future. This focus on renewal and creativity shaped every part of the offsite, from the branding to the carefully curated agenda.

Creating a planning committee

It takes a village to plan an event of this scale, which is why one of our earliest priorities was assembling a planning committee to manage the many moving parts of the offsite. From logistics—like flights, accommodation, and transportation—to creating an engaging experience that reflects Paystack’s values, every detail mattered.

Our planning committee consisted of 14 Stacks working across two main areas: experience and logistics. They were supported by volunteers and third-party vendors, each playing a critical role in ensuring the offsite ran smoothly.

Here’s how the work streams were divided:

• Content strategy: Designing the overall offsite agenda, developing content for key sessions, and coordinating hosts for various activities.
• Accommodation: Securing comfortable lodging at competitive rates.
• Travel planning: Coordinating international and local travel, including a detailed travel guide for Stacks.
• Logistics: Overseeing transportation, space setup, session transitions, and required materials at the offsite venue.
• Health: Arranging for healthcare services to be on standby for emergencies.
• Safety and security: Ensuring physical and online safety, including incident tracking.
• IT: Setting up and maintaining IT infrastructure for smooth operations.
• Daily operations: Managing day-to-day tasks, offering real-time support, and resolving any logistical challenges using a detailed run-of-show.
• Design and merch: Managing branding, creating merchandise, and designing experiences that reflected the offsite’s theme.
• Media and documentation: Capturing photo, video, and audio records, and optimizing Zoom sessions for remote attendees.
• Communication: Sharing important updates pre-event and during the offsite—daily agendas, locations, and offsite readiness checklists.
• Food: Planning all meals and refreshments with inclusive and diverse menus to accommodate dietary preferences.

With so many moving parts, the committee ensured the offsite wasn’t just operationally seamless but also reflective of Paystack’s culture of creativity and excellence.

Budget breakdown

Pulling off an event of this scale required careful financial planning. Paystack allocated $200,000–$250,000 for the offsite, based on average costs from previous years, adjusted for inflation.

The budget was divided as follows:

• 25% on flights and visas: Ensuring smooth international and local travel.
• 25% on accommodation: Providing comfortable lodging for all 200 attendees.
• 25% on space setup: Covering plenary sessions, the closing gala, pool party, branding, and décor.
• 25% on food, transportation, and other logistics: Organizing meals, ground transportation, and essential on-site logistics.

To ensure we stayed within budget and monitored spending across work streams, we set up a detailed expense tracker.

The tracker included:

• Category: The main expense category, such as accommodation, food, transport, or design and branding, to organize costs by type.
• Description: A brief summary of the specific expense.
• Owner: The Stack responsible for managing and overseeing the task or expense, ensuring clear accountability.
• Total budget: The amount allocated for each expense, helping us set financial expectations upfront.
• Amount paid: The portion of the budget already paid to date, providing a snapshot of spending progress.
• Amount remaining: The remaining balance yet to be paid, ensuring we kept track of outstanding costs and avoided overspending.
• Vendor: The third-party vendor delivering the service or product, making it easier to track payments and identify providers.

By organizing expenses in this format, we could monitor spending across work streams like accommodation, transportation, food, IT, and physical space setup. The tracker allowed us to spot areas where costs were exceeding estimates, make adjustments as needed, and maintain a clear view of the overall budget.

Booking flights, accommodation, and transportation

With the planning committee and budget in place, our next priority was tackling logistics. Given the different locations of Stacks, getting logistics right was essential to ensure the offsite ran smoothly. Flights, visas, accommodation, and transportation were at the top of the list, and we approached each step methodically.

Flights and visas

We started planning travel early for our international team members to ensure a smooth experience. Once we confirmed which Stacks would be attending the offsite physically, we worked with a trusted vendor to handle the visa process on their behalf. We also provided detailed guidance on the necessary travel documents, including essentials like the Yellow Fever Vaccine Card.

To help our international attendees, we created a Nigerian Travel Guide on Notion.

The guide included critical information such as health protocols, local SIM card options, food delivery recommendations, and tips for getting through Nigerian airports.

We booked flights in September, three months before the offsite, to secure competitive rates and avoid peak travel price hikes. To simplify the process, we worked with Wakanow, a travel tech company we had successfully partnered with during previous offsites. Wakanow provided a list of some of the best flight options for Stacks traveling from various countries to Lagos, Nigeria.

Our major considerations for selecting flights were cost, direct routes, and convenience. For example, Air Peace was the most cost-effective option for the Accra team.

To ensure a seamless arrival, we arranged for protocol officers to assist Stacks at the airport in Lagos, guiding them through immigration, baggage claims, and customs. This was especially helpful for attendees unfamiliar with Nigerian airport procedures. Each cohort also had a designated chaperone who acted as the point of contact for the trip.

Accommodation

Next, we focused on securing accommodation. Nigeria offers limited venues that can meet the needs of a group this size, especially when it comes to lodging, meeting spaces, and flexibility for different types of activities. Our agenda included three main event types—plenary sessions, social activities, and smaller group meetings—so we needed a venue that could support all three while comfortably hosting our 200 attendees.

To ensure we found the best option, we began scouting locations in July—five months ahead of the event—to allow ample time for research and decision-making. We evaluated each venue based on the following criteria:

• Capacity: Enough bedrooms to accommodate 200 attendees.
• Meeting spaces: Plenary spaces, breakout rooms, and flexibility for setups.
• Cost: Alignment with our overall budget.
• Visual appeal: A refreshing environment that felt different from a typical workday setting, providing a space where Stacks would genuinely enjoy.

We explored four venues and compared their offerings:

We stuck with Lakowe Golf and Country Estate because it offered enough room capacity with a variety of apartments, cottages, and duplexes. Its dedicated meeting spaces and flexibility to accommodate temporary structures also made it ideal for hosting plenary sessions and other group activities as well.

Transportation

Coordinating transportation was critical for both local and international attendees. For international arrivals, we partnered with Shuttlers, a transport solution company, to organize buses for airport pickups and transfers to Lakowe. Having worked with Shuttlers for previous offsites, we chose to stick with them again.

To account for potential delays, we built in timing buffers for shuttles, especially considering Lagos traffic. Given the large size of the Lakowe estate, we also arranged ground transportation within the estate to ensure seamless movement between venues for different sessions.

With many attendees and multiple sessions to manage, careful planning ensured smooth coordination, allowing participants to focus fully on the offsite experience without worrying about logistics.

Balancing work, play and making connections at the offsite

With the essential logistics in place, we could shift our focus to creating a memorable experience at the offsite. This was where all the moving parts—agenda, spaces, activities, and on-the-ground operations—came together.

We began execution in October, about two months before the offsite, coordinating multiple work streams and collaborating with third-party vendors to bring the vision to life.

We started by curating the offsite agenda. After a long year, the last thing anyone wanted was a dull or overly packed schedule. Instead, we crafted a program that balanced work, play, and downtime, keeping in mind the diverse interests and energy levels of Stacks. Each activity was purposefully chosen to align with the overall goals of the week.

The agenda was divided into two categories: the work side, focused on business-led activities, and the social side, designed to encourage connections through play.

The work side

We planned five key events under this category:

• Welcome keynote: Our CEO, Shola Akinlade, opened the offsite by reflecting on the past year and energizing the team with a sneak peek of what’s to come in 2025.
• Functional day: Teams broke into functional groups for retrospectives, 2025 planning, team-building exercises, and specialized training sessions led by functional leads.
• Demo day: Traditionally, Demo Day is where the product team showcases products and tools to the rest of the company. This time, we expanded the format to include submissions from across the organization, beyond the product teams. This broader scope brought fresh perspectives and highlighted the contributions of various teams like the data and revenue operations teams, making the event more inclusive and dynamic.
• Customer stories: To underscore the impact of our work, we invited Demi Odunubi, the MD of Eat’n’Go (parent brand of Domino’s, Pinkberry, and Coldstone) for a fireside chat. Hearing firsthand how Paystack has supported their growth added a meaningful layer to the offsite experience.
• Manager roundtable: Recognizing that leaders set the tone for their teams, we organized a group discussion to equip them with tools and strategies for effective team guidance, encouraging a culture of collaboration, and driving organizational success. The session focused on key areas such as providing feedback, setting the team’s pace, and making decisions effectively.

The social side

For the social activities, we focused on building connections and teamwork through engaging and fun experiences:

• Stack Tank: A Shark Tank-style competition where different groups developed and pitched business ideas. Teams were given a budget to create a business plan before the offsite and pitched their ideas in 10-minute sessions. The most innovative and impressive ideas won prizes.
• Games night: A lively evening of game-show-style challenges where groups worked together to solve puzzles and tackle brain-teasers. This activity encouraged teamwork, laughter, and a shared sense of accomplishment.
• Stack Talks: A fun Ted Talk-style presentation where Stacks shared their passions and interests outside of their 9-5 roles. This offered a glimpse into the unique personalities that make up our team.

Additionally, we organized a Pool Night—a laid-back evening with food, drinks, and music, featuring our very own Stacks as DJs. Throughout the week, we included other casual events to create opportunities for connection, relaxation, and fun.

Cultural immersion at the offsite

One of our priorities for the offsite was to create a social activity that immersed Stacks visiting Lagos from across the world in Nigerian culture. We saw this as an opportunity to encourage bonding while showcasing some of the rich heritage that defines Nigeria.

By the final day of the offsite, after several days at Lakowe, we wanted Stacks to step outside and experience Lagos more deeply. We designed an itinerary with curated activities that celebrated Nigerian creativity, history, and cuisine. These sessions were carefully planned to help Stacks appreciate the cultural roots of the country while participating in interactive experiences that encouraged connection and collaboration.

Afrobeats immersion

Afrobeats has become one of Africa’s most celebrated cultural exports, and we wanted Stacks to experience its vibrancy firsthand. For this activity, some Stacks visited Nigerian rap icon, M.I Abaga,, to explore his creative process and give a behind-the-scenes look at how Afrobeats music is crafted.

Stacks participated in a live music-making session where they got to contribute lines and drop verses, experiencing what it’s like to collaborate in a studio. Beyond the fun and excitement of creating music together, the session offered a window into the depth of storytelling, rhythm, and emotion that drives Afrobeats. It became not just a creative activity but also a way for Stacks to connect through music while gaining a deeper appreciation of Nigeria’s musical heritage.

Nollywood immersion

As one of the largest film industries in the world, Nollywood tells stories that resonate across borders. For this session, some Stacks visited Ebonylife Studios,, one of Nigeria’s top production studios. There, they met with Heidi Uys, Head of Programming, and Nigerian Director Daniel Oriahi, who shared their expertise about the creative and logistical process of bringing stories to life.

Stacks explored the behind-the-scenes work of Nigerian filmmaking, from developing scripts to managing sets, budgets, and timelines. To make the session even more engaging, the group watched a short film directed by a fellow Stack. The screening was followed by a Q&A where participants got a closer look at the creative decisions and challenges involved in producing a film.

This session wasn’t just about Nollywood—it was also a chance for Stacks to see how storytelling and collaboration come together, drawing parallels to their own work and inspiring creativity in unexpected ways.

Cultural heritage and food immersion

For another group of Stacks, we planned a visit to the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, an immersive space celebrating the Yoruba heritage that is deeply intertwined with Nigeria’s identity. The tour included engaging with traditional crafts, poetry, and storytelling, offering attendees a chance to learn about Yoruba customs and history in a hands-on way.

The experience didn’t stop there. To celebrate one of the most universally loved aspects of Nigerian culture—its cuisine—we invited Chef Gibbs to host a culinary session. Chef Gibbs introduced the group to the origins and stories behind popular Nigerian dishes, demonstrating the connection between food and culture. The session ended with a tasting of rich Nigerian flavors, sparking conversations about the role of food in storytelling and community building.

Through these cultural immersion activities, Stacks were able to connect with Nigeria in meaningful ways—whether through music, film, history, or food. These sessions were not only a chance to learn but also a shared experience that brought the team closer together, making the offsite memorable for both its professional and personal impact.

Creating smaller clusters to build deeper connections within a large group

To make the offsite feel smaller and more intimate, we introduced a cluster model. With a mix of introverts and extroverts across the company, we recognized that not everyone thrives in large groups. We divided the company into clusters of 20–25 people, each led by a cluster captain and vice-captain. The idea was to have smaller groups to prevent people from being overwhelmed by the large number of Stacks on the ground as well as to encourage better bonding with team mates in clusters.

Each cluster was named after African renaissance leaders who have shaped the continent’s history, such as Kenyan environmental activist Wangari Maathai and Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, aligning with the offsite’s Renaissance theme.

Clusters lived, dined, and collaborated on both business and social challenges, encouraging close connections within smaller groups. The agenda included dedicated time slots for cluster activities, giving everyone the opportunity to bond in a more personal setting.

Additionally, the cluster model streamlined communication, with cluster leads serving as central points of contact for questions and updates throughout the week. This approach ensured a more manageable and engaging experience for everyone.

Designing physical spaces at the offsite

The physical setup of the offsite was just as important as the agenda. We worked with Atinudah Concepts, an experience design company, to plan and create spaces that matched the purpose of each activity while ensuring comfort and functionality. Having collaborated with Atinudah on past events and loving the results, we knew they were the ideal choice for the offsite. Their team developed mood boards and detailed concepts that guided the look and feel of the spaces, ensuring they were immersive, practical, and visually appealing.

To host sessions requiring all Stacks to gather, we erected a marquee as the primary venue for the entire offsite. The marquee was designed to be flexible, evolving as the event progressed to accommodate various activities while maintaining a fresh experience for attendees. It featured carefully planned stage design, screens, sound, lighting, and décor tailored for each event type.

The mood boards provided by Atinudah inspired the marquee’s initial setup, from the arrangement of seating to the use of drapery and rugs. These inspirations shaped some of the marquee’s overall design, ensuring it could evolve to meet the needs of various events and sessions.

For example, the Gala/Dinner Night, where the company gathered for dinner and drinks to reflect on team growth, celebrate achievements, and express gratitude to teammates and collaborators, was tailored to create a warm and inviting dinner space within the marquee.

We wanted the physical space to create an unforgettable closing experience. After taking in our ideas and vision, Atinudah Concepts presented designs that blended elegance and creativity to perfectly match the occasion.

Their vision included a dynamic stage setup with overhead panels, a sleek DJ booth, and intricate tablescapes. The stage was designed to host performances and speeches, with lighting that shifted throughout the evening to enhance the atmosphere.

For other plenary sessions like Stack Tank, the marquee was transformed to replicate a high-energy pitch environment, complete with spotlights, and a judging panel setup that encouraged excitement and engagement.

And for Trivia and Games Night, playful lighting and an upbeat soundtrack kept energy levels high and created a fun atmosphere.

The marquee’s flexibility was key to its success. The design allowed seamless conversion for different activities, ensuring that each session felt distinct while maintaining visual and functional consistency.

Challenges and lessons learned

While the offsite was thoughtfully planned, it wasn’t without its challenges. A lot went wrong along the way, but every obstacle taught us valuable lessons that shaped the experience.

Some issues were expected, but others took us by surprise. For example, a few hours before the event on the first day, a screen in the main venue fell and accidentally injured two members from the screen vendors team. Staying calm was key—we ensured they received treatment at the clinic onsite and replaced the screen quickly. Maintaining composure reassured everyone that things were under control and allowed us to resolve the issue efficiently.

We also had to adapt to changes on the fly. On a few occasions, when parts of the agenda felt too demanding or overwhelming, we simplified them to better match the energy levels of the attendees and keep the event enjoyable. One example was for the Stack Tank challenge - we initially proposed that we would give Stacks $250 in cash to start a real business, and have them spend the money and be judged on revenue. We simplified the process by asking them to come up with a business plan instead, versus actually starting a business.

One important lesson we learned was to use internal talent whenever possible. This saved costs and ensured we worked with people familiar with Paystack’s processes and culture. Employees stepped up as DJs, MCs, photographers, and hype men and women. Their involvement energized the offsite, built a sense of pride, and made the event feel more personal while reducing reliance on external help.

Inclusivity was a key priority throughout the offsite. We put significant thought into ensuring that the food, music, and activities catered to the diverse tastes, preferences, and cultures of all attendees. At Lakowe, we pre-informed the kitchen about the varying dietary needs of Stacks, including halal meals, vegan and vegetarian options, and non-spicy dishes for those with a low tolerance for heat. The menu was carefully curated to provide a healthy mix of dishes that would appeal to everyone.

For music, we featured songs and genres from across Africa during events like the gala night, pool night, and other social gatherings. The playlists and DJ mixes reflected a blend of cultures, ensuring that every attendee felt represented and included.

This attention to inclusivity also extended to timing and scheduling. We recognized that energy levels differed across groups, so we adjusted activities and transitions to accommodate these differences, creating a comfortable and engaging experience for everyone. From the smallest details to the broader agenda, the goal was to create an environment where every Stack felt seen, valued, and included.

At the end of the offsite, we sent out a survey to collect feedback from Stacks about their experiences. This feedback is critical for improving future offsites, as it helps us identify what worked well and where adjustments are needed. By actively listening to our team’s opinions, the plan is to make each offsite more inclusive, enjoyable, and impactful than the last.

Building toward the next offsite

Planning an offsite takes thoughtful preparation, creativity, and a commitment to the people it’s meant to serve.

When we first started planning our offsites, we realized there weren’t many guides or resources to help us figure out how to approach it. So, we decided to document our own process—sharing the wins, challenges, and lessons learned along the way—in the hopes that someone out there finds it useful.

As we look ahead to Paystack’s 2025 offsite, our goal is to build on what worked well this year while learning from the challenges we faced, refining our processes to create even better experiences for future offsites and other Paystack events.

Ultimately, the success of an offsite isn’t just about the agenda or logistics; it’s about creating an environment where people feel connected, valued, and re-energized to work toward a shared vision.