The Federal Government has started distributing N50,000 cash assistance to vulnerable Nigerians under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilization Intervention. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the programme in a statement dated October 30. He described it as a presidential initiative aimed at providing immediate financial support to Nigerians facing economic difficulties.
According to the minister, the intervention is intended to reduce the impact of rising food prices and the increasing cost of essential goods on households. Doro explained that eligible beneficiaries would receive N50,000 monthly to help them meet basic needs and manage the rising cost of living. He added that the programme would undergo regular reviews based on changes in living costs, with beneficiaries receiving prior notification of any adjustments.
The minister said the ministry had partnered with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure that payments were made securely and transparently. He explained that beneficiaries would receive text messages from the approved providers requesting their consent. Once consent was given, the funds would be transferred directly to their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
The approved providers and their USSD codes are ALAT by Wema (94523#), MoMo PSB (*6710#), NairaGram (72600#), OPay (95520#) and Moniepoint (557327#). Meanwhile, the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalisation Programme (YEIDEP) announced on Tuesday through a Facebook post that payments under NERSI were ongoing, with beneficiaries receiving notifications through their registered phone numbers.
The programmer advised individuals who had not received text messages but whose eligibility status showed “NOT SELECTED” to remain patient and await the next batch. However, it did not guarantee that everyone with the “NOT SELECTED” status would eventually receive the relief payment.
Doro also clarified that beneficiaries were not required to submit applications, pay fees or register through agents to access the support. He warned Nigerians to be cautious of fraudsters and avoid sharing their personal identification numbers or Bank Verification Numbers with anyone. The minister advised anyone uncertain about a message or approached for payment to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.
The Federal Government has begun paying eligible vulnerable Nigerians N50,000 monthly under the NERSI intervention to help them cope with rising living costs. Beneficiaries will receive SMS notifications through approved financial service providers. The government says the support is free, and recipients should not pay agents or share sensitive banking details.
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