USSD is the one thing that still works when your data has finished, the network is crawling, or you’re using a button phone. No app, no internet, no waiting for a page to load. For anyone running a small business or sending money on the move in Nigeria, it’s often faster than opening the app.
Here’s every OPay code worth knowing, with worked examples so you can see exactly how the strings are put together.
The Full List of OPay USSD Codes
| What you want to do | Code |
|---|---|
| Open the main menu | *955# |
| Check your balance | *955*0# |
| Send money to another OPay account | *955*1*Amount*OPayNumber# |
| Send money to any other bank | *955*2*Amount*AccountNumber# |
| Recharge airtime for yourself | *955*3*Amount# |
| Recharge airtime for someone else | *955*3*Amount*PhoneNumber# |
| Buy data | *955*4*PhoneNumber# |
| Pay bills and electricity | *955*6# |
| Freeze your account (emergency) | *955*131# |
| Block your OPay card | *955*132# |
| Reach customer care | *955*9# |
These are the codes that are consistently documented and working. You’ll find longer lists floating around online with shortcuts for withdrawals, OTPs, card activation, and betting, but the ones we’ve seen contradict each other from site to site, so we’ve left them out rather than send you dialling strings that may have changed. For anything not in the table above, dial *955# and pick the option from the menu. It takes a few more taps and it always reflects OPay’s current setup.
One more thing before you start: dial from the phone number tied to your OPay account. From any other line, the codes won’t recognise you.
Setting Up, If You’re Not on OPay Yet
You need an OPay account before any of this works. You can open one through the app, or straight from your phone with no internet at all.
Through the app: download it from the Play Store or App Store, or via OPay’s official site, then follow the sign-up steps.
Through USSD: dial *955#, choose the registration option, and enter your details when prompted. You’ll set a transaction PIN at the end, and that PIN is what authorises every transfer you make from then on.
Complete your KYC in the app when you get a chance, since your NIN and BVN verification is what lifts your daily transaction limits. Without it you’ll hit a ceiling fairly quickly.
Sending Money
OPay to OPay
Dial *955*1*Amount*OPayAccountNumber#.
To send ₦50,000 to the OPay account 9012345678, you’d dial *955*1*50000*9012345678#. Enter your PIN at the prompt and it’s done.
OPay to any other bank
Dial *955*2*Amount*AccountNumber#.
To send ₦20,000 to account number 0012345678, dial *955*2*20000*0012345678#. You’ll be asked to pick the recipient’s bank from a list, then enter your PIN.
Always read the recipient’s name before you confirm. The name displays on screen before the PIN prompt, and that half-second check is the only thing standing between a typo and money gone to a stranger. Reversals are slow and not guaranteed.
Airtime and Data
For yourself: dial *955*3*Amount#. So ₦500 of airtime is *955*3*500#.
For someone else: dial *955*3*Amount*PhoneNumber#. Sending ₦500 to 09123456789 would be *955*3*500*09123456789#, then your PIN.
For data: dial *955*4*PhoneNumber#, then pick your bundle from the list that appears and confirm with your PIN. Leave the number out and it defaults to your own line.
Airtime and data through OPay normally cost exactly face value, so ₦500 of airtime debits ₦500. If you see anything extra, check your transaction history in the app before assuming it’s an OPay charge.
Balance, Bills and Everything Else
Balance: dial *955*0#. It shows on screen straight away, and it’s free.
Bills and electricity: dial *955*6# and follow the prompts to pick your provider and enter your meter or account details. Most utility payments carry no OPay fee, though some providers add their own charge, which you’ll see before you confirm.
Savings, loans, betting, withdrawals and mini statements are all in the *955# menu. Dial it and read the options rather than hunting for a shortcut, because these menu positions get reshuffled from time to time.
The Two Codes to Memorise
If you remember nothing else here, remember these:
- *955*131# freezes your OPay account so no money can leave it.
- *955*132# blocks your OPay card.
They’re two separate actions, so if your phone and your card are both gone, run both. And you can dial them from any phone on any network, which is the whole point, since your own phone is usually the thing you no longer have. Our full guide to blocking your OPay account walks through the exact prompts and what to do in the hour afterwards.
Does It Work on My Network?
Yes. *955# is the same code on MTN, Airtel, Glo, and T2, the network formerly known as 9mobile. There’s no separate OPay code per network, whatever you may have read elsewhere. Session reliability varies a bit by network and signal strength, but the code itself doesn’t change.
When a Transaction Fails
The dangerous moment is when you’re debited but the money doesn’t arrive. The instinct is to retry immediately, and that’s exactly what produces a double deduction.
- Don’t retry straight away. Wait about ten minutes, then check your balance.
- Give it 24 hours. Failed transfers usually auto-reverse within a day.
- Keep the SMS confirmation or reference number. Support will ask for it.
- Still nothing? Dial *955*9# for customer care, or raise it in the app.
If a session just freezes or times out, end it and redial. Weak signal is the usual culprit, so move to a spot with better bars before trying again.
Staying Safe
- Nobody legitimate will ask for your PIN or OTP. Not OPay staff, not an agent, not a caller who knows your name. End the call.
- OPay doesn’t charge you to block your own account. Anyone demanding a “service charge” to help you freeze it is running a scam.
- Don’t leave your full balance sitting in one wallet if you use USSD a lot on a phone you carry everywhere.
- Save the emergency codes somewhere that isn’t your phone. A note at home, or with someone you trust. When the phone goes, every note on it goes too.
Broader phone security habits are worth building in if you run money through your phone daily. And if you ever need cash quickly rather than a transfer, we’ve covered borrowing from PalmPay’s Flexi Cash and converting airtime to cash separately.
Write *955# down somewhere, along with *955*131# and *955*132#. The first one keeps your money moving when the network is bad, and the other two stop it moving when your phone isn’t in your hands anymore.
