OPay: DSS, police probe fake shutdown rumour

ABUJA — Fintech company OPay has disclosed that it is working with the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate false information circulating on social media claiming that the company is shutting down its operations in Nigeria.

OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press conference organised by the company and aired on its YouTube channel.

Rokosu said the DSS and police were among the law enforcement agencies investigating the circulation of the information, adding that the company had provided evidence to assist in identifying those responsible.

“While the DSS and the Nigeria Police, among the relevant law enforcement agencies, are currently and intensively investigating this matter, we are fully cooperating with the ongoing investigations and have provided the necessary evidence to identify those responsible.

“OPay is taking action against those responsible for creating and circulating this harmful information. We will pursue them and will ensure that the law is fully enforced.

“Anyone who deliberately engages in similar conduct should expect decisive legal action and the full consequences provided by the law. This is not about silencing anyone. OPay is not going to be silenced,” he said.

Also speaking, OPay’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer, Dotun Adekunle, said the company remained operational and had no plan to shut down its Nigerian operations.

“OPay is here, OPay is operating, and OPay is going nowhere.

“The message that is circulating online is false. It did not come from OPay. There is no decision from OPay or by OPay to shut down its operations in Nigeria, and there is no indefinite leave.

“In fact, according to the false information itself, OPay was supposed to have shut down yesterday, September 1. It is September 2, and we are still here,” Adekunle said.

He urged customers not to make financial decisions based on messages circulated on social media or messaging platforms without first verifying their sources.

Adekunle said the appearance of a message or document did not make it authentic, noting that logos and official-looking documents could be copied and circulated widely.

“A message can look official and still be completely false. A logo can be copied, a document can be designed to look convincing, and a message can be shared thousands of times without becoming true.

“False is false. Even though it is shared 200,000 times, it is still false information. The number of people declaring falsehood does not make falsehood become truth. It remains falsehood, no matter what,” he said.

The development followed a viral notice circulated on Sunday claiming that OPay would suspend operations from September 1, 2026, and advising customers to withdraw their funds to avoid losing access to their accounts.

OPay had earlier described the notice as false and urged customers to rely on its official communication channels for updates.