Ezra Olubi, co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer of Paystack, has claimed he was unfairly dismissed from the company over allegations of sexual misconduct. Olubi made the revelation in a blog post published on Saturday, 23 November 2025, titled Terminated.
The controversy began in mid-November after a viral social media post accused Olubi of abusive behavior. Online scrutiny intensified as users resurfaced explicit tweets he posted between 2009 and 2013, triggering widespread criticism.
Paystack confirmed that it had suspended Olubi and launched a formal investigation, appointing a review process that included an independent investigator. However, Olubi stated that his dismissal occurred while the investigation was still ongoing 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,” Olubi wrote. “I was not given a meeting or an opportunity to respond before my contract was ended.”
He added that the termination “appeared to contravene the terms of [his] suspension and the company’s internal policies” and suggested that the period of silence during the investigation 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,” he said.
He concluded that his legal team would “explore possible steps in response” to the termination.
The allegation originally surfaced after an individual who had a prior relationship with Olubi posted personal complaints online. The ensuing scrutiny led to renewed attention on the explicit tweets from 2009 to 2013, some containing sexually suggestive comments involving colleagues and minors. Olubi has since deactivated his X account.
Founded in 2015 by Olubi and Shola Akinlade, Paystack became the first Nigerian startup accepted into Y Combinator in 2016. The company was later acquired by Stripe in 2020 for over $200 million, establishing it as a leading African payments company.
