Paystack, the Stripe-owned Nigerian payments giant, has suspended its Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following an allegation of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate. The suspension comes amid growing public scrutiny triggered by resurfaced tweets containing inappropriate and sexually suggestive comments.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday after an individual who previously had a personal relationship with Olubi shared complaints on social media. The post revived attention to several tweets posted by Olubi between 2009 and 2013, many of which included disturbing references involving colleagues and minors. Olubi has since deactivated his X account.
Some of the resurfaced tweets sparked widespread outrage, including one that read: “I judge my female friends by the sound their pee make. Thanks to the audio in my bathroom.” Another stated: “Save water. Take a bath with your neighbour’s daughter.” A tweet from May 23, 2011, added further concern: “Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.”
In a statement reported by TechCabal on Friday, Paystack confirmed it had opened a formal investigation and immediately relieved Olubi of his duties pending its outcome.
“Paystack is aware of the allegations involving our Co-founder, Ezra Olubi. We take matters of this nature extremely seriously. Effective immediately, Ezra has been suspended from all duties and responsibilities pending the outcome of a formal investigation,” the company said.
The firm added that no further public comments would be made until the probe concludes.
“Out of respect for the individuals involved and to protect the integrity of the process, we will not be commenting further until the investigation is complete,” the statement read.
Founded in 2015 by Olubi and Shola Akinlade, Paystack has grown into one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, powering online and offline payments for businesses across the continent. The startup was the first Nigerian company accepted into Y Combinator in 2016, and it rapidly expanded to serve tens of thousands of merchants.
Its acquisition by global payments leader Stripe in 2020 for more than US$200 million cemented its status as one of Nigeria’s most successful tech exits. As CTO, Olubi played a central role in designing and scaling Paystack’s technology infrastructure across multiple markets.
The company now faces mounting pressure to address the allegations swiftly and transparently as public debate continues over accountability, workplace conduct, and the enduring implications of past online behaviour.
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