The Federal Government has begun paying N50,000 monthly cash relief to vulnerable Nigerians under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), aimed at cushioning the biting economic hardship across the country.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the payments in a statement issued on October 30, describing the scheme as a presidential initiative to provide immediate financial support to struggling households.
Under the programme, eligible beneficiaries are expected to receive N50,000 every month to help them cope with soaring food prices and the rising cost of essential goods.
Doro explained that the intervention would be reviewed periodically in line with changes in the cost of living, adding that beneficiaries would be notified ahead of any adjustment.
He said the ministry had partnered with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure transparent and secure delivery of the funds.
According to the minister, beneficiaries would receive text messages from the approved providers requesting their consent before the money is transferred directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
He stressed that the messages were genuine and urged eligible Nigerians to follow the instructions provided.
The approved payment channels 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) disclosed in a Facebook post on Tuesday that disbursements under NERSI were ongoing, with beneficiaries receiving payment notifications through their registered phone numbers.
The programme also urged applicants who had not received text messages but whose eligibility status showed “NOT SELECTED” to remain patient and await subsequent batches.
However, it did not guarantee that everyone currently marked “NOT SELECTED” would eventually benefit from the intervention.
Doro further warned that the relief scheme was free, insisting that beneficiaries were not required to submit fresh applications, pay registration fees or engage agents to access the money.
He cautioned Nigerians against fraudsters seeking to exploit the programme, warning beneficiaries never to disclose their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone.
The minister advised anyone uncertain about a payment notification or approached by individuals demanding money to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 for verification.
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