Samuel Omang
Paystack, the Nigerian payment technology giant owned by Stripe, has suspended its Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following an allegation of sexual misconduct involving a junior employee. The move comes as resurfaced tweets attributed to Ezra Olubi have ignited widespread public outrage and renewed debate over accountability in Nigeria’s tech sector.
The saga began on Wednesday when a former associate posted accusations online, triggering fresh scrutiny of Ezra Olubi’s past digital behaviour. Social media users swiftly unearthed tweets posted by Olubi between 2009 and 2013, many of which contained sexually suggestive remarks involving colleagues and minors.
One of Ezra Olubi’s controversial tweets 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 third tweet from May 2011 read: “Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.”
The rediscovery of these posts sparked intense criticism and quickly went viral, leading Ezra Olubi to deactivate his X account on Thursday.
By Friday, Paystack issued an official statement confirming Ezra Olubi’s suspension pending a full internal 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 in a statement shared with TechCabal.
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The company added that it would not provide further comments “out of respect for the individuals involved and to protect the integrity of the process.”
Founded in 2015 by Ezra Olubi and Shola Akinlade, Paystack is one of Africa’s most prominent fintech companies, powering online and offline payments for thousands of businesses. It became the first Nigerian startup accepted into Y Combinator in 2016 and expanded rapidly before global payments giant Stripe acquired it in 2020 for over US$200 million.
As CTO, Ezra Olubi was central to building Paystack’s technology architecture and driving its scale across multiple African markets. His suspension marks a significant moment for the tech ecosystem, raising broader questions about leadership standards, workplace culture, and the enduring impact of past online behaviour.