- Vows To Continue Supporting Customers, Businesses, Enabling Digital Payments, Others
Eight years after entering Nigeria’s financial technology space, OPay has vowed to deepen its drive to make financial services simpler, more accessible and inclusive, as the fintech company marks its eighth anniversary.
OPay, which commenced operations in Nigeria in 2018, said its evolution from a digital payments and transfer platform into a broader financial services provider reflected the changing needs of millions of Nigerians embracing digital finance.
The company said its services now span digital payments, transfers, merchant services, cards, savings and security solutions, while its platform has become embedded in the everyday financial activities of customers across the country.
“Eight years after commencing operations in Nigeria, OPay continues to build, innovate and serve, using technology to make financial services simpler, more accessible, and more inclusive for Nigerians,” the company said in a statement marking the anniversary.
According to OPay, its impact goes beyond the technology behind the platform, with its services increasingly becoming part of the daily lives of Nigerians.
“For some Nigerians, OPay is an app on their phone. For others, it is the money that arrived when they needed it, the electricity bill they paid just in time, the data they bought for school or work, or the payment that helped a business stay open for another day,” it said.
From Mobile Money To Broader Financial Services
OPay’s Nigerian journey began with the acquisition of Paycom, a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Mobile Money Operator, providing the foundation for its operations.
The company has since expanded its financial services portfolio and secured a National Microfinance Bank licence, further broadening its role in Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.
It said it had continued to invest heavily in technology, customer support and security as adoption of digital financial services increased.
The company also highlighted the experiences of customers as evidence of how digital finance has transformed routine transactions.
One of OPay’s early customers, Mrs Saliu Oluwabukola, said she discovered the platform on social media in 2019 and downloaded the application.
She recalled making her first transfer and subsequently moving the funds from her OPay account to her commercial bank account.
“It entered,” she recalled, describing her reaction after the transaction was successfully completed.
The experience, she said, encouraged her to continue using the platform for airtime and data purchases as well as electricity bill payments.
According to Oluwabukola, OPay later proved useful when she faced an electricity bill problem and officials were about to disconnect her property.
“I trust OPay now with any amount,” she said.
Another customer, Dahiru Haruna of Ojo, Lagos, traced his first encounter with OPay to around 2020 when he was serving as a National Youth Service Corps member in Ondo State.
He said he came across the platform through ORide and later used it while travelling back to Lagos.
After completing a ride and having the fare deducted through OPay, Haruna said the experience underscored for him the growing adoption of digital financial technology in Nigeria.
“Wow, we are progressing. Nigeria is moving with OPay,” he said.
Similarly, Latifat Ajoke Muftau said she turned to OPay after an ATM debited her account without dispensing cash.
Following an introduction by a neighbour, she downloaded the app and registered with her phone number.
She said she was surprised by how quickly she could receive money after opening the account.
“Money just entered. I was like, ah. This is easy,” Muftau said.
₦1.2bn Scholarship Commitment
Beyond payments and financial services, OPay said it had also invested in social-impact initiatives aimed at supporting communities and developing human capital.
The company disclosed that its ₦1.2 billion, 10-year scholarship commitment was providing educational opportunities for young Nigerians.
It added that its broader social-impact programmes focused on youth development, women’s empowerment, skills development and community support.
OPay said its eight-year journey had been defined by changing customer expectations, technological evolution, opportunities and challenges, but insisted that its commitment to Nigeria remained unchanged.
“The journey from a payment app to a broader digital financial services platform reflects the changing needs of Nigerians and the growing role of technology in everyday life. But one thing has remained constant: the commitment to Nigeria,” the company said.
Looking ahead, OPay said it would continue supporting customers and businesses, enabling digital payments and expanding access to financial services across the country.
“And the reason is simple, because behind every transaction is a person; a student buying data, a parent paying a bill, a trader receiving payment, a business owner serving a customer, a Nigerian simply trying to make life a little easier,” it said.
“For eight years, OPay has been part of those moments, and many more are to come. Eight years on, OPay is still Okay.”
