The programme, being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households to cushion the effects of rising living costs.
Under the initiative, beneficiaries will receive the money directly into mobile wallets through designated payment providers, including ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
According to the programme’s guidelines, the use of mobile wallets is intended to ensure that payments reach beneficiaries promptly and transparently, with independent verification checks conducted during each payment cycle.
How to receive the FG’s ₦50,000 cash grant
The government has outlined four steps selected beneficiaries must follow to access the financial support.
1. Receive an SMS notification
Individuals selected for the programme will receive a text message from one of the designated payment providers informing them of their selection.
2. Confirm participation
Recipients are required to reply YES to the notification to indicate their consent to participate in the programme.
The guidelines clarify that no payment will be made without the beneficiary’s consent.
3. Activate the mobile wallet
After confirmation, a mobile wallet will be created and linked to the beneficiary’s phone number and National Identification Number (NIN).
4. Receive and withdraw the money
The ₦50,000 grant will subsequently be credited to the beneficiary’s mobile wallet.
Beneficiaries can withdraw the money through Point of Sale (POS) agents, at banks or spend it directly from their mobile wallets.
USSD codes for withdrawing the ₦50,000 grant
The government said beneficiaries would receive additional SMS instructions from their respective payment providers after their wallets had been credited.
The designated withdrawal codes provided in the programme guidelines are:
- 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 are selected
According to the guidelines, beneficiaries are selected through verified national identity records and the National Social Register, which contains information on poor and vulnerable households across the country.
The government explained that the selection process is designed to identify households that meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.
It emphasised that interested individuals cannot independently apply for the grant or pay to have their names included in the beneficiary list.
The government also clarified that the initial disbursement would not cover every eligible household, as the programme would be implemented in phases.
FG warns Nigerians against cash grant fraud
The Federal Government has warned Nigerians to be vigilant against fraudsters seeking to exploit the ₦50,000 cash transfer programme by demanding money or sensitive personal and banking information.
It stressed that participation in the programme is completely free and that nobody is authorised to request payment from beneficiaries to facilitate the release of the grant.
The guidelines identified three ways Nigerians can recognise genuine programme notifications:
- Messages must originate from one of the designated payment providers: 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 ask recipients to click an external link.
The government further cautioned beneficiaries against sharing their PINs, OTPs or passwords with anyone, including payment agents and individuals claiming to be government officials.
It advised Nigerians to disregard suspicious messages from unauthorised sources and contact the programme’s official 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 relief initiative designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerian households to help them cope with rising living costs.
The programme is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
How much will each beneficiary receive?
Each selected beneficiary will receive ₦50,000 directly into their mobile wallet.
According to the government, the full amount will be credited without deductions.
Is the ₦50,000 payment a loan?
No. The payment is a Federal Government grant, not a loan. Beneficiaries are not required to repay the money.
Who is eligible for the cash grant?
The programme targets poor and vulnerable households identified through the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
Individuals cannot independently apply or pay to be included in the beneficiary 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 using information contained in the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
Their phone numbers are obtained from these records and provided to the relevant payment providers for the purpose of disbursing the grant.
The government also stated that beneficiaries’ personal information would be used specifically for the programme.
