Paystack has suspended its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, over allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate. The suspension follows the resurfacing of several old posts on X that triggered widespread criticism online.
In an email response to Techpoint Africa, Paystack confirmed the news of Olubi’s suspension, stressing that it takes such matters very seriously.
“As of Thursday evening, November 13, 2025, Ezra has been suspended from all duties and responsibilities pending a formal investigation.
“In accordance with our internal policies, we have initiated a review process led by Paystack’s Board. The Board is in the process of appointing an independent third-party investigator to ensure the investigation is conducted fairly, thoroughly, and with full confidentiality.”
The controversy began in mid-November 2025 when an individual known as Max Obae posted accusations on social media suggesting that a tech leader had mistreated a former partner and employees.
Although Obae did not initially name Olubi, observers quickly connected the dots to Paystack’s CTO, prompting them to dig up past posts that many have described as shocking. Olubi has since deactivated his X account, but screenshots of the posts continue to circulate. Some of the resurfaced posts include disturbing comments about sexual activity involving animals, children, and co-workers.
Olubi’s case adds to a growing pattern of controversy surrounding Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.
One prominent example was Patricia, the crypto startup that, in 2023, blamed a “hack” for freezing customer withdrawals. A Techpoint Africa investigation later revealed that the crisis may have stemmed more from mismanagement than a cyberattack, with claims of misappropriated funds and weak internal financial controls.
In January of 2025, Techpoint Africa also reported that the Lagos State Revenue Service was investigating claims that Bento submitted fake receipts to conceal the missing remittances. Around the same time, the company faced similar issues in Ghana, where businesses accused Bento of failing to remit taxes and pension payments, a situation linked to poor documentation and high staff turnover.
These incidents have revived long-standing conversations about accountability, workplace culture, and corporate governance across Africa’s tech sector.
However, the controversy surrounding Paystack is especially significant given the company’s status as one of Africa’s most important technology startups, particularly after its high-profile acquisition by Stripe.
Editor’s note: 16:21 PM: The headline of this article was updated to accurately reflect the status of allegations against Ezra. The article was also updated to include Paystack’s official statement to Techpoint Africa.
