The Federal Government has clarified the procedure for pre-qualified low-income and vulnerable families to receive the ₦50,000 financial support through its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) program.
The intervention, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is designed to provide financial support to households facing rising living costs.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the programme’s launch.
Under the programme, beneficiaries will receive the money through mobile wallets operated by designated payment providers, including ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
According to the programme guidelines, the payment process involves four steps, beginning with an SMS notification to selected beneficiaries.
Recipients are expected to reply YES to the message to confirm their participation. The guidelines state that no payment will be made without the beneficiary’s consent.
After confirmation, a mobile wallet will be created and linked to the recipient’s phone number and National Identification Number (NIN).
The ₦50,000 grant will then be credited to the wallet, from which beneficiaries can withdraw through Point of Sale (POS) agents, banks or spend directly using the mobile wallet.
USSD codes for withdrawing the grant
The government said beneficiaries would receive further instructions from their respective payment providers after the money had been credited.
The designated withdrawal codes are:
ALAT (Wema Bank): Dial *945*23#.
MoMo PSB: Dial *671*0#.
NairaGram: Dial *726*00#.
OPay: Dial *955*20# or use its mobile application.
Moniepoint: Dial *5573*27# or use its mobile application.
How beneficiaries are selected
The programme guidelines state that beneficiaries are identified through verified national identity records and the National Social Register.
The government said individuals cannot independently apply for the grant or pay to be included in the beneficiary list.
It also clarified that the first round of payments would not cover everyone eligible for the intervention.
FG warns against fraud
The government has warned Nigerians against fraudsters seeking to exploit the cash transfer programme by demanding money or sensitive personal information.
It stressed that the grant is free and that no individual or agent is authorised to collect money to facilitate payment.
According to the guidelines, genuine notifications will come only from ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay or Moniepoint.
Beneficiaries will only be asked to reply YES or dial the designated USSD code of their payment provider. The messages will not request payment, a Personal Identification Number (PIN), a One-Time Password (OTP) or ask recipients to click a link.
The government also advised beneficiaries not to disclose their PINs, OTPs or passwords to anyone, including payment agents and officials.
It urged recipients to disregard messages from unauthorised senders and contact the programme’s helpline if they are uncertain about the authenticity of a notification.
Frequently asked questions about the NERSI grant
What is NERSI?
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention is a Federal Government programme designed to provide financial assistance to Nigerian households affected by rising living costs. It is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
How much will beneficiaries receive?
Each selected household beneficiary will receive ₦50,000 through a mobile wallet. The government says the full amount will be credited without deductions.
Is the grant a loan?
No. The payment is a grant and does not have to be repaid.
Who is eligible?
Beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records. Individuals cannot apply independently or pay to secure a place on the list. Those selected will receive an SMS from their designated payment provider.
Why was I selected, and how did the government get my phone number?
The programme guidelines state that beneficiaries are identified using information from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
Their phone numbers are obtained from these records and shared with the relevant payment provider for the purpose of disbursing the grant.
The government also said beneficiaries’ personal information would be used only for the programme.
What You Should Know
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention is designed to ease the burden of rising living costs for struggling Nigerian households by providing a direct cash grant of ₦50,000.
- Financial Relief: Selected beneficiaries receive the full ₦50,000 directly through designated mobile wallet providers without any deductions or repayment requirements.
- Fraud Prevention: Citizens cannot apply independently, and the government has strongly warned against scammers demanding personal information or money to process payments.
