The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has outlined the process through which selected poor and vulnerable Nigerian households will receive its ₦50,000 cash grant under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).
The programme, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households struggling with rising living costs.
According to the programme guidelines, the grant will be disbursed directly into beneficiaries’ mobile wallets through designated payment providers, including ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
The government said the use of mobile wallets would facilitate faster and more transparent payments, with independent verification checks conducted during each disbursement cycle.
How to receive the FG’s ₦50,000 grant
The government has outlined four steps through which selected beneficiaries can access the money.
- Receive an SMS notification
Selected beneficiaries will receive text messages from one of the designated payment providers informing them of their selection for the programme.
- Confirm participation
Recipients are required to reply YES to the notification to indicate their willingness to participate.
According to the guidelines, beneficiaries must give their consent before any payment can be made.
- Activate a mobile wallet
After confirming their participation, a mobile wallet will be created and linked to their phone numbers and National Identification Numbers (NIN).
The ₦50,000 grant will be credited to each selected beneficiary’s mobile wallet.
Recipients can access the money through Point of Sale (POS) agents, banks or direct spending from their mobile wallets.
USSD codes for withdrawing the ₦50,000 grant
Beneficiaries will receive additional SMS instructions from their respective payment providers after their wallets have been credited.
The government provided the following USSD codes for accessing the funds:
ALAT (Wema Bank): Dial 94523#.
MoMo PSB: Dial 6710#.
NairaGram: Dial 72600#.
OPay: Dial 95520# or use its mobile application.
Moniepoint: Dial 557327# or use its mobile application.
How beneficiaries will be selected
According to the programme guidelines, beneficiaries will be identified through verified national identity records and the National Social Register.
The selection process is designed to identify poor and vulnerable households that meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.
The government clarified that individuals cannot independently apply for the grant or pay to secure a place on the beneficiary list.
It also explained that the first batch of beneficiaries would not cover everyone eligible for the intervention, meaning some households may not receive notifications during the initial disbursement.
FG warns Nigerians against fraud
The Federal Government has warned Nigerians against fraudsters seeking to exploit the cash transfer programme by demanding money or sensitive banking information from prospective beneficiaries.
It stressed that participation in the programme is free and that nobody is authorised to collect money to facilitate the release of the ₦50,000 grant.
The guidelines identified three ways recipients can recognise genuine programme notifications:
Messages must originate from ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay or Moniepoint.
Recipients will only be asked to reply YES or dial the designated USSD code of their payment provider.
Genuine messages will never request payment, a Personal Identification Number (PIN), a One-Time Password (OTP) or require recipients to click a link.
The government also cautioned beneficiaries against sharing their PINs, OTPs or passwords with anyone, including payment agents and officials.
It advised recipients to disregard messages from unauthorised senders and contact the programme’s helpline whenever they are uncertain about the authenticity of a notification.
Frequently asked questions about the NERSI ₦50,000 grant
What is NERSI?
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) is a Federal Government programme designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable 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 beneficiary will receive ₦50,000 directly into their mobile wallet. The government said the full amount would be credited without deductions.
Is the ₦50,000 payment a loan?
No. The money is a Federal Government grant, not a loan. Beneficiaries are not required to repay it.
Who is eligible for the cash grant?
Beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register using verified national identity records.
Individuals cannot independently apply or pay to be included in the list. Those selected will receive SMS notifications from their designated payment providers.
Why was I selected, and how did the government obtain my phone number?
According to the programme guidelines, beneficiaries are identified through information contained in the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
Their phone numbers are obtained from these records and shared with the relevant payment providers for the purpose of disbursing the grant.
The government also stated that beneficiaries’ personal information would be used solely for the programme.
Credit: tribuneonlineng.com
