Nigeria’s leading financial technology firm, OPay, has concluded the grand finale of its My OPay Security Vote Challenge at its Lagos headquarters, where it also unveiled its eighth security feature, known as Location Guard.
The event drew the attention of major Nigerian entertainers and content creators, including Funke Akindele, Layi Wasabi, Broda Shaggi, and BrainJotter, who thrilled the audience with live performances — including BrainJotter’s viral track created specially for the campaign.
The My OPay Security Vote Challenge was a national social media campaign that ran across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). It reached over 200 million users, with thousands of creative entries submitted in the form of comedy skits, educational videos, animations, and songs — each creatively interpreting digital safety from everyday users’ perspectives.
The initiative spotlighted seven of OPay’s existing security tools: Large Transaction Shield, Scam Alert, Large Transaction Double Check, Emergency Lock, USSD Lock, Night Guard, and Online Subscription Control. The campaign culminated in the selection of four winners — one each from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X — who were flown to Lagos to attend the finale alongside other standout participants.
One of the winners, Zarifa Golden-Kalio, shared how her content was inspired by her small business. “I’m a student, but I also run a small zobo business,” she said. “I decided to spotlight the Scam Alert feature because it helps me keep my money safe and protected.”
Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele, who was one of the faces of the campaign, commended OPay for its forward-thinking approach to customer protection. “It is not easy to work hard for your money, and at the end of the day, they will just scam you and clear your account,” she said. “So, I want to thank OPay for being innovative and for inventing these security features.”
Speaking at the event, Elizabeth Wang, Chief Commercial Officer at OPay, said the company’s focus remains on protecting its users. “Our core value is always customer first, and for our customers, security is the top priority,” Wang stated. “We built seven security features and today announce the eighth — Location Guard — and we’ll continue to develop more to protect users in all scenarios.”
The newly launched Location Guard feature leverages smart location tracking to detect and prevent suspicious transactions. If a payment attempt is initiated from an unfamiliar location, the feature automatically prompts Face ID verification, adding an intelligent layer of security.
“Location Guard is a leap forward in digital protection,” Wang added. “It’s intelligent, proactive, and built around real-life user behaviour. Wherever our users go, their OPay account follows them — securely.”
Founded in 2018, OPay has grown into one of Nigeria’s most trusted financial technology platforms, licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and insured by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). The platform provides a wide range of services, including money transfers, bill payments, airtime and data purchase, card services, and merchant payments, among others.
