Since the Central Bank of Nigeria removed its scrutiny on onboarding new customers in May 2024, OPay also enhanced its security by introducing Face ID with stricter KYC verification demands. The Face ID process helps confirm user identity, eliminate fraud and unauthorized/compromising access to user's accounts. The enhanced security feature is part of OPay's strategic effort to meet the Central Bank's regulations and directives for providing a more financial-secured interface for users.
Recall that CBN partially banned five major Nigerian fintech companies, including OPay, PalmPay, Moniepoint, Paga and Kuda, from onboarding new customers in April 2024 due to the fact that those fintechs accounts are being used for Foreign Exchange transactions which by the CBN manipulate the FX market and cause the free fall of Naira against the US dollar.
However, once the ban was lifted, OPay reaffirmed its commitment on twitter to adhering to approved KYC verification processes and urged customers to ensure all account requirements are completely fulfilled.
Why is OPay asking for Face ID and Verification?
1. Facial Recognition and Verification During KYC
OPay Face ID and Verification is mostly needed in your KYC verification whereby you'll be asked to take a selfie of yourself using the OPay App. In addition to submitting your basic personal information and verifying your identity using various methods, including a phone number, National Identification Number (NIN), and a Bank Verification Number (BVN), a real-time facial verification is also required, where you must take a selfie that the system compares against the submitted identification documents. This step is to confirm that you are really whom you claimed to be.
2. Facial verification is Needed to process huge amount of transfer
If you're sending money from your OPay account to a new bank account (be it OPay account or an account outside of OPay's banking system), a Face ID and verification will be required. In addition to that, if you're sending a huge amount of money ranging from N100,000 and above, no matter your KYC level, a facial authentication will also be required.
3. Facial verification is also required to change password and PIN
If you forget your OPay Login password or transaction PIN, before you can be allowed to request a new PIN or to "Forget Password", you'll have to pass through a facial ID authentication. If passed, you'll then have access to reset your PIN and get an OTP code for the change of password.
However, not without errors and challenges. Many OPay users have reported that "OPay face Recognition is not working" and similar issues. In fact, due to the stress the facial verification is putting users through, many users are looking for ways to remove the OPay face recognition.
How to activate and use Face ID on OPay App
Currently, OPay Face ID and Verification is activated automatically on your OPay account. It's different from Fingerprint and Torch ID. You can only activate "Pay with Fingerprint" on the OPay app for Android.
Face ID is automatically required when you want to send money to new recipient and if you're changing your OPay password or PIN. However, you cannot login your OPay account using Face verification on Android, only fingerprint can be used if it's activated.
For iPhone users, a Face ID can be used to login to OPay account and authenticate payment/transfer. Meanwhile, this is applied to only iPhones without home physical button (model X or later) that do not have fingerprint recognition.
Activating OPay's Face ID on iPhone
To activate your Face ID on the OPay app (be it business banking app or individual banking app), first thing first, you need to open the app and go to your profile by tapping on the "Me" You can also use the "Profile" icon at the top menu of your dashboard to access the page.
Once you're on the page, go to "Settings" and select "Payment Settings." Find the "Pay with Face ID" option, enter your PIN for security, and toggle it on. After you've successfully activated the facial ID recognition on your account, then, you can start using it for quick payments by simply looking at your phone (be it Android or iPhone) to confirm transactions. To deactivate it, follow the same steps and toggle it off.
OPay Face Recognition NOT Working [Fixed!]
If OPay's Face Recognition feature is not working on your app, several factors could be causing the issue.
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Here are some common reasons and potential fixes:
Possible Causes:
Several factors can hinders you to not verify your Facial ID on the OPAY App. Poor internet connection can prevent the fintech app from processing your facial recognition. More so, low lighting can also make it hard for the camera to capture a clear selfie of your face. Also, you should understand that damaged or low-quality cameras may not capture your face properly.
More so, if the OPAY app has any glitches or hasn't been updated on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store that you haven't gotten the latest version, it may cause issues, so clearing the app cache or updating it might help.
Lastly, mismatched personal details, such as BVN or NIN especially during KYC documentations and verification, can also lead to verification failure. Lastly, updates to your phone's operating system might interfere with the app's Face ID function.
Solutions:
To resolve issues with OPay verifying your Face ID, first of all, you need to check and confirm that your internet connection is very stable. Meanwhile, you can also use Wi-Fi for a smooth process. You also needs to make sure that you're in a well-lit area, but avoid direct sunlight on the camera. Test your camera to make sure it's working perfectly, and if it's faulty, either repair it or use another device.
Lastly, update the OPay app to the latest version for better functionality. Double-check that your personal details, like BVN and NIN, are correctly entered and match your KYC documents. Restart your phone to fix any temporary glitches, and if problems continue, contact OPay customer support for help.
How to Remove OPay Face Recognition
It's not possible to remove OPay Face ID and Verification as the feature is automatic on the OPay App. Face ID Recognition is automatically requested whenever a change of PIN or password is essential. It's also applied when you're trying to transfer huge amount of money to new recipient. The OPay Face ID is automatically implemented to protect your account from any unauthorize transaction, hence, it cannot be removed.
However, aside from the automated implementation, iOS users who use iPhones that have no home physical button or fingerprint recognition can actually disable a Face ID for login and payment processing on their OPay App. Please note that the automated facial recognition and verification implemented by OPay for authentication of huge money transfer and change of password and PIN can also not be removed on iPhone.
Notwithstanding, to remove OPay's Face Recognition feature for Login and Payment on iPhone, follow these steps:
To deactivate/delink your Face ID from the OPay app, open the app and go to your profile by tapping the "Me" or the "Profile" icon as earlier explained in this article. Next, navigate to "Payment Settings" and click on the toggle button to toggle off the "Pay with Face ID" option.
To complete the removal of your stored face ID data, go to your phone’s Settings > Security and Privacy > Biometrics > Face Recognition, then enter your PIN and tap "Remove Face Data." After removing it, you’ll need to re-register your face if you want to use Face ID again. This won’t affect your OPay account, and you can still access it with your PIN or password.
