Paystack has terminated the employment of its co-founder and chief technology officer, Ezra Olubi, following public allegations of sexual misconduct involving a junior employee.
The decision marks one of the most significant governance crises to hit Nigeria’s technology sector in recent years.
Olubi disclosed his dismissal in a personal blog post on Saturday, November 23, 2025. His announcement followed weeks of escalating public scrutiny that began in mid-November after a social media user accused him of abusive behaviour.
The allegations triggered renewed circulation of explicit tweets he posted between 2009 and 2013, intensifying criticism and prompting widespread debate about workplace ethics in African tech.
As the controversy gained traction, Paystack suspended Olubi and announced that it had opened a formal investigation.
The company said it planned to appoint an independent investigator to review both the allegations and its internal response mechanisms.
However, Olubi said in his Saturday statement that he was abruptly fired before the investigation concluded.
He claimed that he was not granted a meeting or an opportunity to respond to the allegations, describing the move as inconsistent with the terms of his suspension and with Paystack’s internal policies.
“My legal team is now reviewing the process that led to my purported termination, including its consistency with internal policies,” he wrote, adding that they would take “appropriate” steps.
He declined to offer further comment.
The resurfaced tweets, which contained sexually explicit humour and remarks critics described as predatory, fuelled public outrage and raised broader concerns about conduct and accountability within Africa’s fast-growing technology ecosystem.
The industry has faced a wave of misconduct incidents in recent years, forcing startups to confront long-standing gaps in governance and reporting systems.
Paystack acquired by global payments giant Stripe in 2020 in a landmark African tech deal has not issued any additional public statement since Olubi announced his dismissal.
It remains unclear whether Stripe will intervene or comment on the unfolding dispute. Industry analysts say a legal challenge could force fresh disclosures, revealing more about Paystack’s internal processes and decision timeline.
The episode has reignited calls for stronger governance frameworks across African startups, particularly regarding sexual harassment reporting structures, leadership accountability, and company culture.
Analysts warn that as the region’s tech sector expands, companies must balance rapid growth with transparent, fair, and enforceable internal systems.
For now, Paystack faces uncertainty as it navigates the reputational and operational fallout of losing one of its founding executives under contentious circumstances.
The long-term implications for both the company and the broader ecosystem will likely unfold in the coming weeks.