Paystack has suspended its co-founder and chief technology officer, Ezra Olubi, following a sexual misconduct allegation involving a junior employee. The allegation surfaced on social media on November 12 and quickly triggered industry-wide scrutiny.
The company confirmed the suspension to TechCabal, adding that a formal investigation is underway and Olubi will not return to his duties until the review is complete.
In its statement, Paystack said: “We take matters of this nature extremely seriously. Effective immediately, Ezra has been suspended pending the outcome of a formal investigation.” The company added that it would not comment further to protect the integrity of the process.
Old Tweets Resurface, Intensifying Backlash
Alongside the misconduct allegation, several decade-old tweets posted by Olubi between 2009 and 2013 resurfaced and spread rapidly on X (formerly Twitter).
The posts include sexually explicit jokes about colleagues, descriptions of erections during meetings, inappropriate comments about a minor, and references to sexualised anime characters.
One tweet from May 23, 2011, read: “Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.”
The revived posts have amplified public outrage and raised deeper concerns about long-standing workplace culture norms within the African tech ecosystem. Olubi has not publicly addressed either the allegation or the tweets. His X account was deactivated on November 13.
Industry Still Reckoning with Leadership Misconduct
The development comes at a time when African tech is still confronting persistent issues of harassment and misconduct involving senior leaders.
Just last month, Oscar Limoke, CEO of Kenyan firm Pawa IT Solutions, was fined by the country’s Employment and Labour Relations Court following sexual harassment and assault claims made by a former employee.
Paystack, founded in 2015 and acquired by Stripe in 2020 for $200 million, is one of the continent’s most influential tech companies. Its alumni have shaped startups in fintech, logistics, and infrastructure, making the handling of this case particularly significant.
Analysts say the investigation will be closely watched, not only because of Paystack’s reputation but also because the allegations test how high-trust startups uphold stated values around transparency, employee safety, and ethical leadership.
Paystack said its internal review will follow a “fair, structured and transparent” process in line with its policies and values.
Stripe, Paystack’s parent company, had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
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