Ezra Olubi, co-founder of Nigerian fintech unicorn Paystack, has issued a pre-action legal notice demanding N140 million (approximately $85,000) in damages from investigative journalist David Hundeyin over a series of posts on X that allegedly defamed him.
The notice dated January 26, 2026, accuses Hundeyin of publishing “false, malicious and defamatory statements” in December 2025 posts.
Those posts reportedly described Olubi as a “lame, insecure social misfit” with a “god complex,” drew parallels to U.S. music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ alleged abuses, and warned of potential dangers to critics, including a reference to Amaka Odel.
Olubi’s legal team demands that Hundeyin, permanently delete the identified posts from X; provide a written undertaking not to publish further defamatory statements about Olubi; publish a full retraction and apology with equal prominence to the original posts and pay N140 million as compensation for reputational damage and emotional distress.
The letter gives Hundeyin seven days to comply, in accordance with the Lagos State High Court Pre-Action Protocol, and warns that failure to do so could lead to formal legal proceedings.
The dispute follows Olubi’s controversial suspension and eventual ouster from Paystack in late 2025 amid separate allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate, which the company said it was investigating.
Paystack, acquired by Stripe in 2020, has not commented on the latest matter
Hundeyin, known for his investigative reporting on West African politics and business, shared the pre-action letter on his X account. In response, he posted a defiant message including the phrase “go fvck yourselves,” directed at the demands and reportedly mocking both Olubi and aspects of the Nigerian legal system.
He is yet to issue a formal retraction or apology. The case highlights tensions between Nigeria’s tech sector figures and outspoken journalists amid growing scrutiny of online speech and defamation claims.
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