OPay has restated its commitment to turning technology into practical value through reliable payments, stronger merchant relationships, local jobs and easier access to financial services.

The company gave the assurance in a statement on Thursday.

It said the true measure of inclusion was not how many people could open an account but how many could use financial services to earn, save, trade and withstand unexpected costs.

It noted that when a driver could receive payment, a shop could keep trading, and a family could send money when it mattered, financial inclusion became real.

The company added that this is the impact digital finance must continue to deliver: one customer, one business, and one transaction at a time.

From drivers receiving payments on their phones to small businesses serving customers without relying only on cash, digital finance was changing how Nigerians manage money.

The company added that it was part of the shift as new data showed progress in financial inclusion and the need to make access more useful.

It explained that for a commercial driver, receiving payment quickly could mean having enough money to buy fuel and continue working. At the same time, for a market trader, a digital transfer could help pay a supplier without leaving the shop, and for a family, sending money to a loved one could take seconds instead of a long journey.

According to the company, financial inclusion means providing practical ways for people to receive, send and manage money, regardless of income or location, as reflected in everyday moments.

OPay said Nigeria had made significant progress in financial inclusion, citing the 2026 Access to Financial Services in Nigeria survey by Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), which found that 79 per cent of adults, about 94.2 million people, now used a financial product or service.

It noted that formal inclusion rose to 73 per cent from 64 per cent in 2023, while financial exclusion fell to 21 per cent from 26 per cent, and digital financial services usage rose to 64.4 per cent from 45 per cent over the same period.

The company, however, said access alone did not guarantee financial security, as EFInA found that three in four adults remained financially unhealthy, with only 10 per cent having access to formal credit and 5 per cent to insurance.

It said this underscored the need for the next phase of inclusion to move beyond account ownership and payments to helping people manage risks, build savings and sustain livelihoods.

OPay said it has brought everyday financial services closer to consumers and businesses since it began operations in Nigeria in 2018 through mobile payments, transfers, bill payments, savings, debit cards and merchant services, allowing customers to transact without visiting a bank branch.

It said its value was especially clear for people who earn and spend daily, adding that its technology was designed to work on different phones, including entry-level devices, and under unstable network conditions.

It disclosed that more than 99 per cent of transactions started on its app in the first half of 2026 were completed successfully on the first attempt, noting that reliable service mattered when a failed payment could delay a purchase or interrupt daily earnings.

The company said it had more than one million merchants and businesses on its network as of June, and that digital payments gave shops, food sellers and other businesses another way to collect payments, while eligible merchants providing financial services could earn commissions.

OPay also said 99 per cent of its workforce in Nigeria were Nigerians, adding that its operations required personnel in customer support, technology, compliance, sales and other roles, while its merchant and agent network created additional income opportunities.

It said customer service was central to sustaining those benefits, explaining that a customer with a delayed transfer needed clear information, a trader facing a payment problem needed practical help, and a first-time user might need guidance on protecting an account.

On policy, OPay said the new ATM guidelines by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) requiring card issuers to deploy at least one ATM for every 7,500 payment cards issued, with full compliance due by 2028, were important for cash access but argued that card numbers alone might not show how people now access financial services.

It said that as more Nigerians used mobile payments and nearby merchants, it was worth considering how ATM access targets could work alongside digital channels rather than diverting attention and resources from them, noting that cash and digital payments would continue to serve different needs.

It added that other gaps deserved attention, noting that CBN policy already recognised the need to simplify customer identity checks, strengthen agent networks and promote digital financial services, but that the challenge was to keep the measures practical for low-income customers, rural communities and small businesses while maintaining strong safeguards against fraud.

The company further referenced the CBN’s Payments System Vision 2028, which set out a goal of a secure, inclusive and innovative payment system with collaboration and interoperability as guiding principles.

The company also recalled the call by EFInA chief executive officer Foyinsolami Akinjayeju for providers and policymakers to judge progress by what financial access enabled people to achieve, not simply by the number of accounts opened.

(NAN)