Paystack, the Nigerian payments company owned by Stripe, has suspended its Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday after an individual who previously had a personal relationship with Olubi shared complaints online. The post triggered renewed scrutiny of several disturbing tweets Olubi posted between 2009 and 2013, many of which contained sexually suggestive remarks about colleagues, female friends, and minors. He has since deactivated his X account.
Among the resurfaced tweets were statements such as: “I judge my female friends by the sound of their pee… thanks to the audio in my bathroom,” and “Save water. Take a bath with your neighbour’s daughter.” Another tweet from May 23, 2011, read: “Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.”
The comments sparked widespread public criticism and renewed debate over workplace ethics, accountability, and the enduring impact of past social media activity.
In a statement to TechCabal on Friday, Paystack confirmed Olubi’s suspension and the launch of a formal investigation.
“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 it would not issue further comments until the process is concluded.
“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,” Paystack stated.
Founded in 2015 by Olubi and Shola Akinlade, Paystack provides online and offline payment infrastructure for businesses across Africa. It became the first Nigerian startup accepted into Y Combinator in 2016 and grew rapidly, serving tens of thousands of merchants.
The company was acquired by global payments giant Stripe in 2020 for more than $200 million — one of the biggest fintech acquisitions in Nigeria’s history. Olubi, as CTO, was central to building the company’s technical backbone and product ecosystem.
