The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has clarified the eligibility and payment procedures for the ₦50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), warning Nigerians against fraudsters seeking to exploit the Federal Government’s relief programme.
The Ministry said the initiative was designed to support vulnerable households facing rising living costs, adding that beneficiaries would be selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records based on poverty and vulnerability criteria.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 6, 2026, and signed electronically by Kingsley O. Onuoha, for the Director of Information and Public Relations, the Ministry said the selection process covered all six geopolitical zones.
It stressed that there was no application or registration process and that no individual, government official, agent or third party could influence the selection of beneficiaries.
According to the Ministry, each selected beneficiary would receive the full ₦50,000 as a Federal Government grant, without deductions or any obligation to repay the money.
It explained that beneficiaries would be notified through SMS from authorised digital financial service providers, with instructions on how to accept and access the support.
The Ministry listed ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint as approved payment platforms.
It provided the following USSD codes for accessing the intervention: ALAT by Wema Bank, 94523#; MoMo PSB, 6710#; NairaGram, 72600#; OPay, 95520#; and Moniepoint, 557327#.
Beneficiaries are expected to follow the instructions contained in their SMS notifications, which may require replying “YES” or dialling the designated USSD code to give consent.
The Ministry said the grant would subsequently be credited directly to beneficiaries’ mobile wallets, adding that the USSD service could be accessed without a smartphone or internet connection.
It warned Nigerians against paying any fee to secure inclusion in the programme or facilitate payment, insisting that genuine beneficiaries would not be required to register through agents or click on registration links.
The Ministry also cautioned beneficiaries against disclosing their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone.
“Anyone demanding money in exchange for the grant is attempting to commit fraud,” it warned.
For enquiries and complaints, the Ministry provided the official NERSI helpline, 0700-022-2222.
It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the intervention was implemented with transparency, accountability and dignity, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
