Nigerian fintech company Paystack has confirmed the immediate suspension of its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following an internal crisis ignited by social media allegations and the resurfacing of highly offensive decade-old tweets. The suspension comes as Paystack launches a formal investigation into claims of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate, which began circulating online on Wednesday.
The controversy was rapidly amplified by the re-circulation of Olubi’s posts made between 2009 and 2013 on X (formerly Twitter). The decade-old tweets included sexually explicit jokes about colleagues, references to workplace harassment, and concerning comments involving minors. The combination of the new allegations and the deeply inappropriate resurfaced posts led to widespread public outrage and demands for immediate corporate action.
In a statement released to the media, Paystack confirmed the action: “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, which was acquired by Stripe in 2020, emphasized that it would not comment further until the inquiry is concluded, citing the integrity of the process.
Following the viral attention given to the posts, Olubi deactivated his X account and has yet to issue a public comment. The incident sends shockwaves through Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, highlighting the critical need for robust workplace ethics and accountability, particularly among high-profile founders who represent major global brands like the Stripe-owned Paystack.
