Nigerian fintech Paystack has terminated the employment of its co-founder and chief technology officer, Ezra Olubi, after public allegations that he had sexual relations with a junior employee.
Olubi announced the firing in a blog post on Saturday, November 23, 2025, saying that the decision came before the company’s investigation was complete.
The controversy began in mid-November when a social media post alleging abusive behaviour by Olubi went viral and prompted users to resurface a series of explicit tweets from earlier in his career. Paystack confirmed it had suspended Olubi and opened a formal investigation, saying it had set up a review process and intended to appoint an independent investigator.
Olubi said in his post that he was not given a meeting or an opportunity to respond before his contract was ended and that the termination appeared to contravene the terms of his suspension and the company’s internal policies. He added that his legal team would explore possible steps in response.
“My legal team is now reviewing the process that led to my purported termination, including its consistency with internal policies. They will take the steps they consider appropriate, and I will not be commenting further on this matter at this time,” he wrote.
Paystack, acquired by Stripe in 2020 in one of Africa’s landmark tech exits, has faced intense public scrutiny as screenshots of old posts, some dating from 2009–2013, circulated online. The resurfaced material includes sexually explicit jokes and remarks that many described as predatory.
The case has renewed calls for stronger workplace accountability across Africa’s fast-growing tech sector, where several high-profile misconduct allegations have forced companies to confront governance and culture issues.
Paystack did not immediately issue a fresh public statement after Olubi’s blog post, and it is not clear whether Stripe — Paystack’s parent company — will comment further. Any legal action by Olubi could force new disclosures or court proceedings that would clarify the facts and the company’s process.
This is a developing story.
