The Federal Government has unveiled detailed guidelines for the disbursement of its ₦50,000 cash relief grant to poor and vulnerable households across the country, explaining how beneficiaries will be selected, notified and paid.
The intervention, being implemented under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is aimed at providing financial support to vulnerable Nigerians struggling with rising living costs.
Under the programme, each selected household will receive a one-off grant of ₦50,000, which will be paid directly into a mobile wallet through designated financial service providers.
The approved payment providers include ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
The government said the mobile wallet arrangement was designed to ensure that funds reach beneficiaries directly, promptly and transparently, with independent verification checks conducted during payment cycles.
How Nigerians will receive the ₦50,000 grant
According to the programme guidelines, selected beneficiaries will go through a four-stage process before accessing the money.
1. SMS notification
Beneficiaries selected for the intervention will receive text messages from one of the five designated payment providers notifying them of their selection.
2. Confirmation of participation
Recipients are required to reply YES to the notification to indicate their willingness to participate in the programme.
The government explained that beneficiaries must give their consent before payments can be processed.
3. Mobile wallet activation
Following confirmation, a mobile wallet will be created and linked to the beneficiary’s registered phone number and National Identification Number (NIN).
4. Payment and withdrawal
The ₦50,000 grant will subsequently be credited directly into the activated wallet.
Beneficiaries will be able to withdraw the money through Point of Sale (POS) agents and banks or spend it directly from their mobile wallets.
USSD codes for accessing the money
The Federal Government has also provided designated USSD codes through which beneficiaries can access their funds after receiving confirmation that their wallets have been credited.
The codes are:
- ALAT (Wema Bank): Dial 94523#.
- MoMo PSB: Dial 6710#.
- NairaGram: Dial 72600#.
- OPay: Dial 95520# or use the OPay mobile application.
- Moniepoint: Dial 557327# or use the Moniepoint mobile application.
Beneficiaries are expected to receive additional instructions from their respective payment providers after the funds have been credited.
How the government will select beneficiaries
The government said beneficiaries would be identified through verified national identity records and the National Social Register, which contains information on poor and vulnerable households across Nigeria.
The selection process is intended to ensure that assistance reaches households that meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.
It also clarified that Nigerians cannot independently apply for the grant or pay anyone to have their names included in the beneficiary database.
The government further explained that the initial disbursement would not cover every eligible household, as implementation would take place in phases.
This means that being eligible under the programme’s criteria does not automatically guarantee immediate payment.
FG warns Nigerians against fraudsters
Amid concerns about possible exploitation of the intervention, the Federal Government has warned Nigerians to be wary of fraudsters claiming they can facilitate access to the ₦50,000 grant.
It stressed that participation in the programme is entirely free and that no individual, agent or government official is authorised to demand money from prospective beneficiaries.
The government identified five designated payment providers whose messages should be recognised as legitimate sources of notifications: ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
It said genuine notifications would only require recipients to reply YES or follow the designated USSD instructions provided by their payment service provider.
Beneficiaries were also warned that authentic programme messages would never ask them to pay processing fees, disclose their bank PINs, share one-time passwords (OTPs) or passwords, or click suspicious external links.
The government advised Nigerians not to share sensitive financial information with anyone, including POS agents and individuals claiming to represent the programme.
Those who receive suspicious messages were urged to disregard them and contact the programme’s official helpline whenever they are uncertain about the authenticity of a notification.
Is the ₦50,000 grant a loan?
The government clarified that the intervention is a cash grant and not a loan.
Consequently, beneficiaries are not expected to repay the money, while the full ₦50,000 will be credited without deductions.
Why some Nigerians may not receive the grant immediately
Explaining the selection process, the government said phone numbers and other relevant details of beneficiaries were obtained from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
The information is subsequently provided to the designated payment providers for the purpose of processing payments.
It also assured that beneficiaries’ personal information would be used specifically for the intervention.
However, the government reiterated that the programme would be implemented in phases, meaning that not all eligible households would receive the grant during the initial disbursement.
The NERSI intervention forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to provide targeted financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerians and cushion the economic pressures confronting low-income households.