The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of monthly ₦50,000 cash assistance to vulnerable Nigerians under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the programme in a statement dated October 30, describing it as a presidential initiative aimed at providing immediate financial support to vulnerable households.
Doro said the intervention was designed to cushion the impact of rising food prices and the increasing cost of essential goods on Nigerians.
According to him, eligible beneficiaries will receive ₦50,000 monthly to help them meet their basic needs and ease the financial pressure caused by the rising cost of living.
“Under this intervention, eligible beneficiaries will receive ₦50,000 monthly, providing direct assistance to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs,” the minister said.
He added that the programme would be reviewed regularly in response to changes in the cost of living, with beneficiaries to be notified before any adjustments are made.
The minister explained that the ministry was working with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure that the funds were delivered securely and transparently.
He said beneficiaries would receive text messages from approved providers requesting their consent before payments were made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
“Beneficiaries will receive an SMS from one of these providers asking for their consent. This message is genuine. Once consent is given, payment is made directly to the beneficiary’s account/mobile wallet,” he stated.
The five approved payment providers and their USSD codes are ALAT by Wema (94523#), MoMo PSB (6710#), NairaGram (72600#), OPay (95520#) and Moniepoint (557327#).
