IMPORTANT NOTICE: FG Explains How Nigerians Will Be Selected for ₦50,000 Relief Grant, Releases Payment Guidelines

The Federal Government has explained how poor and vulnerable Nigerian households will be selected to benefit from its ₦50,000 cash grant under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).

The programme, being 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’s guidelines, the money will be disbursed directly to selected beneficiaries through mobile wallets operated by designated payment providers, including ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.

The government said the use of mobile wallets is intended to ensure that payments reach beneficiaries quickly and transparently, with independent checks carried out during each payment cycle.

How to Receive the ₦50,000 FG Grant

The government has outlined four steps that selected beneficiaries must follow to access the financial support.

First, beneficiaries will receive an SMS notification from one of the approved payment providers informing them of their selection.

After receiving the notification, recipients are required to reply YES to confirm their willingness to participate in the programme. The guidelines emphasise that no payment will be processed without the beneficiary’s consent.

Following confirmation, a mobile wallet will be created and linked to the beneficiary’s phone number and National Identification Number (NIN).

The ₦50,000 grant will subsequently be credited to the wallet. Beneficiaries can withdraw the money through Point of Sale (POS) agents, at banks or use it directly for transactions through their mobile wallets.

USSD Codes for Withdrawing the ₦50,000 Grant

The Federal Government also provided withdrawal instructions for beneficiaries using the different payment platforms.

The designated USSD codes are:

– ALAT (Wema Bank): Dial *945*23#.

– MoMo PSB: Dial *6710#.

– NairaGram: Dial *72600#.

– OPay: Dial *955*20# or use the mobile application.

– Moniepoint: Dial *557*327# or use the mobile application.

Beneficiaries are expected to receive additional instructions from their respective payment providers after their wallets have been credited.

How the FG Will Select Beneficiaries

On the selection process, the government explained that beneficiaries would be identified through verified national identity records and the National Social Register.

The process is designed to identify households classified as poor and vulnerable and eligible for the emergency intervention.

However, the government clarified that individuals cannot independently apply for the grant or pay anyone to secure a place on the beneficiary list.

It also explained that not all eligible households would necessarily be included in the first batch of beneficiaries.

FG Warns Nigerians Against Fraudsters

The government has cautioned Nigerians against fraudsters seeking to exploit the relief programme by demanding money or requesting sensitive banking information from prospective beneficiaries.

It stressed that participation in the programme is completely free and that no individual or organisation has been authorised to collect money in exchange for facilitating payment of the ₦50,000 grant.

According to the guidelines, genuine programme notifications will only come from ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay or Moniepoint.

Recipients will only be asked to reply YES to confirm participation or dial the designated USSD code provided by their payment service provider.

The government further warned that legitimate messages would never request a beneficiary’s Personal Identification Number (PIN), One-Time Password (OTP), password or payment of any kind.

Beneficiaries were also advised not to share their confidential banking details with anyone, including agents or individuals claiming to represent the programme.

Those who receive suspicious messages have been urged to ignore them and contact the programme’s helpline for clarification.

Is the ₦50,000 NERSI Payment a Loan?

The Federal Government clarified that the ₦50,000 payment is a grant and not a loan. Consequently, beneficiaries will not be required to repay the money.

It also stated that each selected recipient would receive the full ₦50,000 without deductions.

Why Were Beneficiaries Selected, and How Were Their Phone Numbers Obtained?

The government explained that the selection process relies on information contained in the National Social Register and verified national identity records.

Phone numbers belonging to selected beneficiaries are obtained from these records and shared with the relevant payment providers strictly for the purpose of disbursing the financial assistance.

It added that beneficiaries’ personal information would only be used for purposes connected to the programme.

The government maintained that the intervention is targeted at providing direct financial support to vulnerable Nigerian households, while urging citizens to remain vigilant against individuals attempting to defraud them in the name of the relief programme.