LAGOS, Nigeria — Paystack, one of Africa’s leading fintech companies, has terminated the employment of its co-founder and chief technology officer, Ezra Olubi, following allegations of workplace sexual misconduct and the resurfacing of explicit posts from his social media history.
The company suspended Olubi on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, after allegations emerged during an X Space hosted by Max “Makispoke” Obae titled My Piece, in which she accused him of misogyny and recounted a troubled past relationship.
The discussion prompted users to circulate old tweets from Olubi’s deactivated X account containing sexually explicit and disturbing statements.
The posts triggered accusations ranging from misogyny and predatory behaviour to pedophilia and bestiality.
Paystack initially announced an internal probe and the appointment of an independent investigator.
However, in a blog post published on Sunday, November 23, 2025, titled Terminated, Olubi said the company dismissed him before the investigation was completed and without giving him a chance to defend himself.
“Over the past few days, my name and reputation, built over years as co-founder and technical leader at Paystack, have been called into question because of information circulating online,” he wrote.
“Once that process began, I chose not to make any public statements… because I expected a fair, thorough and unbiased review of the allegations.”
He said his decision to remain silent “created a vacuum that allowed assumptions and misrepresentations to spread without challenge.”
Olubi insisted that the resurfaced tweets do not reflect his conduct.
“Those who know me personally or professionally understand that the posts being circulated do not reflect my conduct or the way I have lived my life. I have always… conducted myself in a manner that respects everyone’s dignity and safety.”
Olubi said he was informed of his dismissal on Saturday, November 22, 2025, “before the supposed investigation was concluded, and without any meeting, hearing, or opportunity for me to respond,” adding that this violated the terms of his suspension and Paystack’s internal policies.
His legal team, he said, is “reviewing the process that led to my purported termination… and will take the steps they consider appropriate.”
Obae, the woman whose revelations triggered the controversy, announced on X that she had repaid the $55,000 loan Olubi had previously given her for her brother’s tuition.
Founded in 2015 by Olubi and Shola Akinlade, Paystack quickly grew into a major payments infrastructure company, becoming the first Nigerian startup accepted into Y Combinator in 2016.
It was acquired by Stripe in 2020 in a deal reportedly worth more than $200 million.
Paystack has not yet issued a fresh statement following Olubi’s claims of unfair dismissal.
The company had previously said it was committed to ensuring a safe workplace and would follow due process in handling the allegations.
