OPay Threatens Legal Action Against X User Over Shutdown Rumour Claims

By Peter Emmanuel |

Fintech company OPay Digital Services Limited has threatened legal action against an X user, identified as Danny Of Owerri (@DrDanny2030), over allegations linking the company to a purported N5 million payment to individuals behind a viral shutdown rumour.

The development comes days after a false publication circulated on social media claiming that OPay would suspend its operations in Nigeria from September 1, 2026, and stop processing transactions until further notice. The publication also urged customers to withdraw their funds from the platform.

OPay has since repeatedly dismissed the shutdown claim, assuring customers that its services remain fully operational and warning the public to rely only on its verified communication channels for information about its operations.

In a legal notice dated September 2, 2026, and signed by its Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Moses Rokosu, the company accused the X user of making a false, malicious and reckless allegation against it.

OPay said the allegation that it paid N5 million to individuals responsible for the defamatory publication was unlawful, libellous and defamatory, describing it as an attempt to portray the company as having manufactured a controversy against itself for publicity purposes.

OPay Denies Alleged N5m Payment to Fuel Shutdown Rumour

According to the legal notice, OPay was notified of a September 2 publication made through the X account of Danny Of Owerri, in which he allegedly claimed that the company procured and/or paid N5 million to individuals responsible for the earlier defamatory publication.

The company rejected the allegation and said it had no factual, legal or ethical basis.

OPay said the claim was a deliberate attempt to aggravate the reputational and commercial harm allegedly caused by the earlier publication concerning its supposed shutdown.

The fintech further accused the X user of attempting to portray the company as having deliberately manufactured a false controversy against itself in order to exploit the resulting publicity and online attention.

It said the allegation had further impugned the integrity, credibility and reputation of the company and warned that it would not allow the matter to go unaddressed.

Company Demands Evidence From X User Before Midnight

OPay demanded that Danny Of Owerri delete and desist from further disseminating or publicising the alleged publication from his X account or any other platform.

The company also demanded that he furnish it with all evidence and materials in his possession relating to the N5 million payment allegation.

In the notice, OPay gave the X user until 11:59 p.m. on September 2, 2026, to provide the evidence supporting his claim.

The fintech said the demand was necessary because the allegation had caused what it described as irreparable damage to the company.

OPay also warned that it would take all appropriate legal action against the X user and pursue all remedies available to it if the matter was not satisfactorily addressed.

OPay Warns of Legal Action Over Alleged Defamatory Publication

The latest legal notice follows a wider dispute over a viral message claiming that OPay would shut down its Nigerian operations from September 1.

OPay had earlier described the shutdown message as false and urged customers not to act on unverified information circulating on social media.

On September 2, OPay’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Dotun Adekunle, also said the company remained fully operational and that there was no decision to shut down its operations in Nigeria.

Adekunle said the viral message had caused concern among customers, merchants and other stakeholders, particularly because many Nigerians depend on digital financial services for everyday transactions.

The company has now escalated its response through legal action, while also confirming that security agencies are investigating the origin of the wider shutdown rumour. OPay said it remains operational and urged customers to verify financial and operational information through its official channels before taking action.