Nigerian payments company, Paystack, has suspended its Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate.
The company, in a statement issued on Wednesday night, said the suspension was effective immediately and that a formal investigation had commenced.
“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 statement read.
The development followed widespread circulation of the allegation on social media on Nov. 12, alongside resurfaced tweets from Olubi’s account dating back to 2009–2013.
The tweets, which contained sexually explicit remarks about colleagues, minors, and anime characters, triggered public outrage and calls for accountability.
Olubi has not issued a public response and deactivated his X (formerly Twitter) account shortly after the controversy escalated.
Paystack said it would refrain from further comment until the investigation is concluded, citing respect for those involved and the need to preserve the integrity of the review process.
The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of misconduct in Africa’s tech sector. In October, a Kenyan court fined Oscar Limoke, CEO of Pawa IT Solutions, for sexual harassment and assault in a case that led to a staff resignation.
Founded in 2015, Paystack is one of Africa’s most prominent startups, known for its landmark $200 million acquisition by Stripe in 2020. The company’s reputation and global ties have drawn significant attention to the ongoing investigation.
Paystack reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace, stating that the review would follow a transparent process aligned with its internal policies and values.
Stripe, Paystack’s parent company, has yet to respond to requests for comment.
