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Paystack, the Stripe-owned Nigerian payments company, has suspended its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate.
The claims surfaced on social media on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, and were confirmed by the company in a statement to TechCabal.
The allegations have reignited scrutiny of several explicit tweets posted by Olubi between 2009 and 2013, including comments of a sexual nature about colleagues and minors. TechCabal sought Olubi’s response via email, but he had not replied at the time of publication.
“Paystack is aware of the allegations involving our Co-founder, Ezra Olubi,” the company said. “As of Thursday evening, November 13, 2025, Ezra has been suspended from all duties and responsibilities pending a formal investigation.”
According to the company, a board-led review has begun in line with internal policies, with an independent third-party investigator to be appointed to ensure a fair and confidential process.
“To protect the integrity of this process, we will not be commenting further until the investigation is complete,” Paystack said.
The resurfaced tweets, which include sexually explicit remarks, descriptions of erections during meetings, and inappropriate references to coworkers and minors, circulated widely on X on Thursday, intensifying public debate about workplace conduct and leadership accountability in the African tech ecosystem.
Olubi has not publicly addressed either the allegations or the tweets. He deactivated his X account on Thursday, November 13.
The incident comes at a time when the region’s tech industry has been grappling with several high-profile cases of workplace misconduct.
In October, the CEO of Kenyan IT firm Pawa IT Solutions, Oscar Limoke, was fined by the Employment and Labour Relations Court after sexual harassment and assault allegations led to the resignation of a staff member.
Founded in 2015, Paystack is one of Africa’s most prominent technology companies. It was among Y Combinator’s early African investments, and its $200 million acquisition by Stripe in 2020 remains one of the continent’s landmark exits.
Many of the company’s alumni have since gone on to lead ventures in logistics, fintech, and financial infrastructure.
Given Paystack’s size, reputation, and connection to global payments giant Stripe, the handling of this investigation is expected to draw close attention from across the industry. The case has renewed conversation on governance standards in high-trust organisations and how companies respond to allegations involving senior figures.
Stripe, Paystack’s parent company, did not respond to requests for comment.
Paystack has long emphasised values such as transparency, open communication, and kindness in its organisational culture and employer-brand messaging. The resurfaced tweets—despite being more than a decade old—have prompted fresh scrutiny of how senior leaders embody these values and how consistently they are upheld.
“In line with our internal policies, we have established a fair, transparent, and structured review process to conduct a thorough investigation. This process is guided by our policies, our values, and our commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all employees,” the company added.
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