Paystack, the Nigerian payments startup acquired by Stripe, has suspended its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate. The allegations first surfaced on social media on November 12, 2025, and have sparked renewed attention to decade-old tweets in which Olubi made sexually explicit remarks about colleagues and minors.
The company confirmed the suspension, stating that a formal investigation has been launched. “Paystack is aware of the allegations involving our Co-founder, Ezra Olubi. As of Thursday evening, November 13, 2025, Ezra has been suspended from all duties and responsibilities pending a formal investigation,” the company said in a statement. Paystack also said its board is appointing an independent third-party investigator to ensure the process is conducted fairly, thoroughly, and confidentially.
The resurfaced tweets, posted between 2009 and 2013, included sexually explicit comments about coworkers, references to photographing a colleague’s body, and remarks involving minors and sexualized anime characters. One tweet from May 23, 2011, read, “Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.” While these posts predate Olubi’s role at Paystack, their reappearance has intensified public scrutiny, prompting broader discussions about workplace boundaries and the behavior expected of senior leaders in Africa’s tech ecosystem. Olubi has not publicly responded to the allegations and deactivated his X account on November 13, 2025.
The incident occurs in an ecosystem still grappling with workplace misconduct cases involving tech executives. In October, Oscar Limoke, CEO of Kenyan IT firm Pawa IT Solutions, was fined by the Employment and Labour Relations Court over sexual harassment allegations that forced an employee to resign.
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Paystack, founded in 2015 and one of Africa’s most significant technology companies, was one of Y Combinator’s earliest African investments. Its 2020 acquisition by Stripe for $200 million remains one of the continent’s largest exits, and its alumni have gone on to launch startups across fintech, logistics, and financial infrastructure. The company’s size, influence, and close ties to a global payments leader make the handling of this investigation a focal point for governance and ethical standards in high-trust African tech companies.
Paystack reiterated its commitment to values such as transparency, clear communication, and respect in the workplace. “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 statement added.
Neither Olubi nor Stripe had responded at the time of publication. The investigation and its outcome are likely to shape conversations around leadership accountability, corporate governance, and workplace culture in Africa’s rapidly growing tech sector.
