OPay has moved to reassure customers and merchants in Nigeria that it has no plans to shut down its operations or take an indefinite break from the country, dismissing social media claims that sparked concerns about the safety of funds held on the platform.
The fintech company addressed the speculation during a live town hall meeting in Lagos on Wednesday, following several days of online messages urging OPay users to withdraw their money ahead of an alleged September 1 shutdown.
Company Says Viral Shutdown Message Is False
Dotun Adekunle, OPay’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, said the message circulating online did not come from the company.
He confirmed that OPay remained fully operational despite the rumours and said the claims about a shutdown on September 1 were false.
Adekunle said customers could continue using the platform for transfers, bill payments and other services, while merchants could carry on receiving payments as usual.
He also noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria had identified the circulating information as inaccurate.
OPay Points to Expansion as Evidence of Continued Operations
Rather than scaling back its presence in Nigeria, OPay said it has continued to expand its operations.
Adekunle disclosed that the company now employs more than 7,000 people in Nigeria and has opened more than 26 new customer-support offices across different states during 2026.
The fintech also said more than one million merchants currently use its services, alongside millions of customers across the country.
The figures were presented as evidence that the company remains committed to the Nigerian market.
Technology Teams Monitored Systems Amid Rumours
The shutdown claims prompted OPay’s technology and operations teams to pay particular attention to the platform around September 1.
Adekunle said the company’s systems were closely monitored because of the widespread speculation, but operations continued normally.
He sought to give customers further confidence in the platform, declaring that OPay intended to remain in the Nigerian market.
“We are here to stay. We are here to play,” Adekunle said.
Legal Team Takes Aim at Misinformation
OPay is not treating the rumours as a harmless social media misunderstanding.
The company’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Moses Rokosu, said OPay is working with regulators and law enforcement authorities to investigate the source and spread of the claims.
According to Rokosu, the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies are involved in the investigation, with OPay cooperating with the authorities.
The company has also begun legal proceedings against individuals accused of spreading the shutdown allegations.
Social Media Users Face Legal Action
The town hall followed reports that OPay had issued legal notices to three social media users over posts claiming that the fintech was preparing to close its Nigerian operations.
Those claims reportedly included calls for customers to withdraw their funds from the platform.
OPay has warned that such information should not be treated as genuine unless it comes through the company’s official communication channels.
Customers Warned About Possible Scams
Beyond correcting the shutdown rumours, OPay used the opportunity to remind customers about the risks of sharing account credentials during periods of uncertainty.
Users have been advised not to disclose sensitive information such as personal identification numbers, passwords or one-time passwords to anyone claiming to represent OPay.
The warning is particularly significant when rumours about a financial platform are circulating, as fraudsters can attempt to exploit customers’ fears by posing as company representatives.
OPay Wants Customers to Rely on Official Updates
The fintech’s message is that customers should continue using its services normally and avoid acting on unverified social media claims.
With its workforce, merchant network, customer-support offices and technology infrastructure continuing to operate, OPay says there is no basis for the suggestion that it is preparing to leave Nigeria.
The company is now combining public reassurance with regulatory engagement and legal action in an effort to contain the misinformation and identify those responsible for spreading it.
What’s Next?
The immediate focus will be on the investigation into the origin and spread of the shutdown claims, as well as the legal action reportedly being pursued against some social media users.
For customers, OPay’s position is straightforward: its Nigerian operations remain active, and users should obtain important updates directly from the company rather than relying on unverified posts.
The fintech’s continued expansion of its support network and its large merchant base will also remain central to its efforts to demonstrate its commitment to the Nigerian market.
Summary
OPay has rejected claims that it is shutting down or suspending operations in Nigeria, confirming that its customers, merchants, employees, offices and technology systems remain operational.
The company says it has more than 7,000 employees, over one million merchants and millions of customers in Nigeria, while also expanding its customer-support footprint.
As authorities investigate the misinformation, OPay is pursuing legal action against some individuals linked to the claims and has urged customers to protect their PINs, passwords and OTPs while relying on official channels for information.
