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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [BUSINESS]

4 clusters · 23 sources · 29 days · First seen · Last updated

OPay misinformation and legal response

Overview

Fintech company OPay has been addressing viral social media rumors claiming the platform would undergo an indefinite operational shutdown starting September 1, 2026. The company initially debunked these claims, noting that the fraudulent notices used an outdated logo and incorrect branding to incite panic among customers.

Following the spread of this misinformation, OPay escalated its response by requesting investigations from the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS). The company stated that the rumors are capable of “disrupting the Nigerian financial system and causing financial losses.” Chief Legal Counsel Akinfolabi Rokosu confirmed the company is cooperating with law enforcement and has provided evidence to identify those responsible. OPay has also issued legal threats against specific parties, including social commentator Adamu B. Garba II and ViralGrabTVNG, demanding retractions and apologies for what it describes as “false, malicious, and defamatory” claims.

On September 4, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) arrested 27-year-old Hafsat Abubakar for allegedly circulating a forged notice. The fraudulent document, which gained approximately 572,000 views, reportedly urged followers to “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.” Digital forensic analysis traced the publication to Abubakar’s social media handles. While police recovered three mobile phones during her arrest, the incident has sparked public debate, with some calling for compassion toward the suspect after she reportedly complied with requests to delete the post and apologize.

On September 28, OPay dismissed a new wave of viral claims suggesting the company had stopped using phone numbers as account numbers. These rumors advised users to visit agents to convert accounts to standard bank account numbers. An OPay official described the claims as inaccurate, stating that any major changes to the account system would be communicated through official channels.

Entities

Akinfolabi Rokosu · OPay · OPay Digital Services Limited · Adamu B. Garba II · Nigeria

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    OPay denies rumors regarding phone number account changes

    Fintech company OPay has denied social media rumors claiming it has stopped using phone numbers as account numbers, stating that any major system changes will be shared via official channels.

  2. [CRIME] 9 sources
    Nigeria Police arrest woman for spreading fake OPay shutdown notice

    Nigerian police arrested Hafsat Abubakar for circulating a viral, forged notice falsely claiming OPay Digital Services Limited was shutting down its operations.

  3. [BUSINESS] 8 sources
    OPay seeks police and DSS investigation into shutdown rumors

    Fintech firm OPay has called on Nigerian security agencies and launched legal threats to combat social media rumors claiming the company is shutting down, asserting that the claims are false and harmful.

  4. [BUSINESS] 9 sources
    OPay denies viral rumors of September operational shutdown

    OPay has debunked viral social media rumors claiming a September 2026 shutdown. The company issued a formal warning and legal threat to a user who spread the false information, which has since been retracted.

Sources

businessday.ng · dailyreport.ng · dailytrust.com.ng · disa.org · dubawa.org · gatmash.com · gistlover.com · gwg.ng · innovation-village.com · naijanews.com · nairametrics.com · newsonlineng.com · punchng.com · qed.ng · regtechafrica.com · silverbirdtv.com · techlabari.com · thecapital.ng · thegeniusmedia.com.ng · theglittersonline.com.ng · thenigerialawyer.com · tori.ng · warrisentinel.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history