The Federal Government has released detailed guidelines explaining how Nigerians selected for its N50,000 relief grant can confirm their eligibility, accept the offer, access the money and withdraw funds, while warning beneficiaries against fraudsters seeking to exploit the programme.
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention is a Federal Government programme designed to help households cope with rising living costs.
The intervention, managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, provides N50,000 to selected beneficiaries through mobile wallets operated by five approved payment providers.
According to the frequently asked questions published on the programme’s website and sighted by PUNCH Online on Thursday, the grant is not a loan, does not require repayment and can be accessed without a smartphone or internet connection.
The government also explained how beneficiaries were selected, why their phone numbers were used, how to withdraw the money and what to do if they encountered problems.
Here are the things beneficiaries need to know about the programme.
1. What is NERSI and how much will beneficiaries receive?
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention is a Federal Government relief programme designed to help households cope with living costs.
Under the scheme, selected beneficiaries receive N50,000 each through a mobile wallet.
The government said the full amount would be credited to beneficiaries without deductions.
Asked how much recipients would receive, the programme’s website stated, “₦50,000. The full amount goes into your wallet. Nothing is deducted.”
It also clarified that the support was a grant and not a loan, adding that beneficiaries were not expected to repay the money.
“No. It is a grant from the Federal Government. You do not pay it back,” the FAQ stated.
2. Who is eligible and how are beneficiaries selected?
The government said beneficiaries were selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
It explained that individuals could not submit applications or arrange to be included on the list.
“You cannot apply, and no one can add you to the list,” the programme stated.
According to the government, beneficiaries were selected based on need and spread across the six geopolitical zones, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.
The FAQ clarified that the intervention was not restricted to particular states or groups.
It stated, “Beneficiaries are spread across all six geopolitical zones and are selected on need alone, whatever their religion, ethnic group or political affiliation.”
However, the government explained that payments would be made in phases, meaning not everyone would receive a notification at the same time.
3. Why was I selected and how did the government get my phone number?
The programme said beneficiaries were identified through information contained in the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
It explained that their phone numbers were obtained from the same records used for the selection process.
According to the FAQ, beneficiaries’ information would only be shared with their respective payment providers for the purpose of disbursing the grant.
“Your details are shared only with your payment provider, and only so they can pay you,” the website stated.
The government also assured recipients that their personal information would be protected under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
It stressed that programme officials would not request sensitive banking information such as personal identification numbers, one-time passwords or Bank Verification Numbers.
4. How will beneficiaries know they have been selected?
Selected beneficiaries will receive text messages from one of the five approved payment providers: ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
The messages will notify recipients of their selection and provide a USSD code to dial to accept the grant.
The programme provided an example of a notification which reads:
“Relief! FGN has selected you to receive ₦50,000 under NERSI to help with living costs. This is FREE. Enq? Call 07000222222. Dial 94523# to accept.”
Beneficiaries can also dial their provider’s USSD code and select the option to check their eligibility.
The government said genuine notifications would come only from the official sender names of the approved payment providers.
5. How can beneficiaries accept the N50,000 grant?
Recipients are required to dial the USSD code contained in the notification sent by their payment provider and follow the instructions.
The process opens a mobile wallet for the beneficiary, after which the N50,000 is credited and a confirmation text message is sent.
The government stressed that beneficiaries would not receive the money until they accepted the offer.
“Nothing is paid until you accept,” the FAQ stated.
It advised selected recipients to accept as soon as possible after receiving the notification, adding that their payment providers would send reminders.
Those who mistakenly select the option to reject the offer can dial the code again and choose Yes if they change their minds.
The government explained that choosing No would be recorded and the beneficiary would not be paid unless the decision was changed.
6. Can people without smartphones or internet access receive the money?
Yes. The government said beneficiaries do not need smartphones or internet access to receive the grant.
A basic mobile phone is sufficient because the USSD codes provided by the payment providers work without an internet connection.
The FAQ specifically stated, “No. A basic phone is enough. The codes work without the internet.”
However, customers of MoMo PSB, OPay and Moniepoint can also use their providers’ official mobile applications to access their wallets and carry out transactions.
7. How can beneficiaries withdraw the N50,000?
The government said recipients could withdraw their money through Point of Sale agents by transferring funds from their mobile wallets to the agents and collecting cash.
Each payment provider also offers other withdrawal and transfer options.
ALAT beneficiaries can dial 94523Account NumberAmount# to transfer money to a POS agent’s account or their personal bank accounts. They can also visit any Wema Bank branch.
MoMo PSB customers can visit its agents or POS operators, dial 6710# or use the MoMo NG application to transfer funds.
NairaGram beneficiaries can dial 72600# and follow the instructions to transfer money to a POS agent or bank account.
OPay customers can use 95520# or the OPay application, while Moniepoint beneficiaries can dial 557327# or use the Moniepoint application.
The government added that recipients could withdraw the entire amount or take only part of it, leaving the remaining balance in their wallets.
“Yes. You can withdraw all or part of it. The rest stays safely in your wallet,” the FAQ stated.
Beneficiaries can also transfer the money to any bank account or another person’s account through their providers’ USSD codes or applications.
8. Are there charges for receiving or withdrawing the grant?
The government said accepting the grant, receiving the money and responding to programme text messages were free.
It warned beneficiaries against paying anyone to access the intervention or secure a place on the list.
However, it clarified that POS operators could charge their usual fees when beneficiaries withdrew cash through them.
The FAQ stated, “When you cash out at a POS agent, the agent may charge their usual withdrawal fee, as with any withdrawal. Ask for the fee before you withdraw.”
The government advised beneficiaries to confirm the applicable charges before proceeding with withdrawals.
9. What should beneficiaries do if they have not received an SMS?
The government said beneficiaries who had yet to receive text messages should not automatically conclude that they had been excluded.
It explained that payments were being made in phases, with providers contacting selected recipients in batches.
However, it noted that not everyone would be selected in the current phase because the programme was designed to support a limited number of households at a time.
Those who want to confirm their status can dial their provider’s USSD code and select the eligibility-check option.
Recipients who are not on the list will receive a notification stating, “You are currently not selected to receive this relief support.”
The government warned that nobody could add an individual to the list or speed up payment in exchange for money.
“No one can add you to the list or speed up your payment. Anyone who offers to do so for a fee is a fraudster,” the FAQ stated.
10. How can beneficiaries identify and avoid fraud?
The government warned beneficiaries against individuals claiming they could help them secure or release the N50,000 grant in exchange for payment.
It stressed that no programme official, payment provider or agent would request recipients’ PINs, one-time passwords or Bank Verification Numbers.
The FAQ stated that genuine messages would come only from the official sender names of ALAT/Wema Bank, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
It also said genuine messages would never contain links.
The government cautioned recipients against clicking unfamiliar links, downloading unknown applications or forwarding WhatsApp messages claiming that sharing them would guarantee access to the grant.
“Chain messages are fake. Forwarding a message does not make anyone a beneficiary. Delete it,” the programme stated.
It further warned beneficiaries against sending money to anyone who contacts them claiming that the payment was made in error and should be refunded.
“Do not send money to anyone. This is a common trick. Call your provider’s official help line to check,” the FAQ stated.
Beneficiaries who receive suspicious calls requesting their personal details were advised to end the calls and contact their providers directly.
11. What happens if a beneficiary loses their phone or SIM card?
The government advised beneficiaries who lose their phones or SIM cards to contact their payment providers immediately to protect their wallets.
They should then obtain replacement SIM cards bearing the same phone numbers from their network operators.
According to the programme, the money would remain in the mobile wallet even if the beneficiary lost the phone or SIM card.
“Your money stays in your wallet,” the FAQ stated.
The government also advised beneficiaries not to hand over their phones, PINs or one-time passwords to anyone, even when seeking assistance from trusted relatives.
12. What should beneficiaries do if their USSD codes stop working?
The programme advised beneficiaries to check their network signals and try again if their providers’ USSD codes failed to work.
If the problem persisted, they were advised to contact their payment providers through their official customer service channels.
It also urged beneficiaries to contact their providers if they received suspicious calls, lost their phones or needed assistance protecting their wallets.
The government published the following helplines:
• ALAT by Wema: 0803 900 3700
• MoMo PSB: 671 or 0803 106 7100
• NairaGram: 0201 330 0880 or 0201 330 0881
• OPay: 0700 888 8328 or 0201 888 8328
• NERSI programme helpline: 0700-022-2222
The government said enquiries concerning mobile wallets and payments should be directed to the respective providers, while questions about the intervention should be addressed to the programme’s helpline.
13. Which organisations are approved to pay beneficiaries?
The government identified five payment providers authorised to disburse the N50,000 grant.
They are ALAT, the digital banking platform of Wema Bank; MoMo PSB, a licensed Payment Service Bank; NairaGram, a digital money transfer service; OPay, a licensed mobile money operator; and Moniepoint, a licensed microfinance bank.
The programme advised beneficiaries to deal only with their assigned providers and use official channels when making enquiries or carrying out transactions.
It also warned against downloading unfamiliar applications, explaining that beneficiaries did not need to follow links or install unknown software to claim the grant.
The government said the USSD codes provided by the payment providers were sufficient to access the funds.
