OPay, one of Nigeria’s largest mobile money operators, demonstrated artificial intelligence-powered financial services at the Digital PayExpo 2026 conference held in Lagos this week, according to a statement from the company.
The fintech platform, which processes over 30 million transactions monthly in Nigeria, used the conference to unveil plans for expanded AI integration across its payment infrastructure, customer service systems, and fraud detection capabilities.
AI Integration Across Core Services
OPay’s chief technology officer, whose name was not disclosed in the announcement, said the company has deployed machine learning algorithms to analyse transaction patterns and reduce payment processing times by up to 40 percent compared to legacy banking systems.
The platform has integrated AI-driven chatbots to handle customer inquiries, according to the statement. The company claims the technology resolves 70 percent of customer service requests without human intervention, reducing response times from an average of 24 hours to under five minutes.
OPay also announced enhanced fraud detection systems powered by neural networks that analyse transaction behaviour in real time. The company did not provide specific data on fraud prevention rates or comparative figures.
Nigeria’s mobile money sector processed transactions worth over ₦800 trillion ($518 billion) in 2025, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria. OPay competes with platforms including Moniepoint, PalmPay, and Kuda Bank in a market where financial inclusion remains a policy priority.
According to the World Bank, approximately 36 percent of Nigerian adults remain unbanked, creating demand for accessible digital financial services. Mobile money platforms have become primary financial access points for millions of Nigerians without traditional bank accounts.
The Digital PayExpo 2026 conference attracted over 3,000 attendees from across Africa’s fintech ecosystem, including regulators, startup founders, and payment infrastructure providers. The event focused on emerging payment technologies, cross-border transaction systems, and regulatory frameworks.
Expansion Plans
OPay indicated plans to expand AI-powered services beyond Nigeria into other African markets where it operates, including Egypt and Kenya, though no specific timeline was provided. The company did not disclose investment figures or technical partnerships related to its AI initiatives.
The fintech has raised over $570 million in funding since its 2018 launch, according to Crunchbase data. Its parent company, Opera, is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
The announcement comes as African fintech companies face pressure to demonstrate profitability and operational efficiency following a slowdown in venture capital funding across the continent. Several Nigerian fintechs have reduced staff numbers and consolidated operations in response to tighter funding conditions.
OPay holds a mobile money operator license from the Central Bank of Nigeria and is regulated under the country’s Payment Service Banks framework. The company did not address regulatory considerations related to AI deployment in financial services.
Representatives from Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency attended the conference but did not comment publicly on AI governance frameworks for financial services.