Opay hits three social media users with legal notices over false break claims

Opay Digital Services Limited has issued formal legal notices to three social media users accused of spreading false claims that the fintech company was going on a long, indefinite break. The company has demanded deletion of the posts, retractions and unreserved apologies.

The legal notices are dated August 31 and September 1, 2026, and were issued to users on X and TikTok after posts the company said falsely advised customers to withdraw funds from their OPay accounts.

Those affected

The individuals targeted by the notices are Adamu B. Garba II (@adamugarba) on X, Viralgrabtvng (@viralgrabtvng) on TikTok, and Cute Hafserh (@haifah_er_abba) on X.

Opay's Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Moses Rokosu, signed the notices. In the notice to Garba, OPay alleged that he published a post on August 30 claiming the company would go on a long indefinite break and advised customers to remove funds from their OPay accounts. The fintech also accused Garba of promoting an alternative wallet, Crowwe Wallet, alongside the disputed publication.

OPay described the publication as false, malicious, unlawful, libellous and defamatory, alleging it was calculated to damage the company's goodwill, reputation and commercial interests.

Demands and warnings

The company demanded that the publication be permanently deleted before 11:59 p.m. WAT on September 1, 2026. It also demanded a clear retraction and an unreserved apology.

OPay issued a similar notice to TikTok account @viralgrabtvng over a publication made on August 30. The company alleged the account falsely informed the public that OPay would go on a long, indefinite break and advised customers to withdraw their funds. OPay demanded permanent removal of the publication from TikTok and any other platform where it may have been disseminated, plus a retraction and apology.

A notice dated August 31 was also issued to Cute Hafserh on X. OPay alleged she published information claiming the fintech would embark on an indefinite break and advised customers to withdraw their money. The company described the publication as false, malicious, unlawful, libellous and defamatory and demanded its immediate removal.

Across the notices, OPay warned that it would take all appropriate legal action and pursue available remedies if the recipients continued to publish or disseminate the disputed information. The fintech said it was actively monitoring and documenting publications concerning its operations.

In a separate statement, OPay said: "We've issued more warnings today to individuals who spread false information about OPay."

What this means

OPay says it is licensed and remains operational. The legal action follows social media claims that suggested the fintech was shutting down or pausing operations, which could have sparked panic among users. A similar wave of misinformation forced the company to issue warnings earlier.

For Nigerians, the move is a reminder to verify fintech news before acting on viral posts. OPay is one of the country's largest fintech companies, and it is reportedly weighing a share listing on the Nigerian Exchange, alongside preparations for a potential US IPO targeting a valuation of roughly $4 billion. Public misinformation could threaten customer trust and investor confidence.