“OPay has discontinued the use of customers' phone numbers as wallet account numbers.”
Verdict
❌FalseConfidence
What We Found
The claim that OPay has discontinued the use of phone numbers as wallet account numbers is false. OPay has officially debunked this statement, confirming that phone numbers remain valid account identifiers and that customers do not need to visit agents to update their accounts.
Evidence
On September 27, 2026, an X (formerly Twitter) user named Israel Gharee posted a claim stating that OPay had stopped using customers' phone numbers as account numbers and was transitioning to standard account numbers. The post urged users to visit OPay agents to update their accounts. OPay responded directly to the user on X on September 28, 2026, explicitly labeling the post as 'false and misleading.' The company clarified that phone numbers continue to function as wallet account numbers and that no action is required from customers to change or upgrade their account numbers. Multiple news outlets, including Leadership, Nigeria Communications Week, and Fact Check Africa, have verified this denial, noting that the company threatened legal action against the individual for spreading misinformation that could cause public panic and reputational harm.
What's Missing or Misleading
The original claim lacked any official verification from OPay and appeared to be an isolated social media post that was subsequently debunked by the company's official communication channels.
Sources Reviewed (4)
OPay Debunks Viral Post, Says Phone Numbers Still Work As Account Numbers
OPay Dismisses Reports of Stopping Phone Numbers as Account Numbers
OPay on X: 'Hello @Israelgharee. This post is false and misleading.'
FACT-CHECK: No! OPay is Not Replacing Phone Number with Standard Account Numbers