MTN subscribers selected for the Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly relief programme can check their eligibility and access the money through a designated MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB) USSD code.
The intervention, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), is aimed at providing financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerian households struggling with the rising cost of living.
However, a fraudulent message circulating on social media has raised concerns over attempts by scammers to exploit the programme.
The message urges MTN subscribers who have not received the payment or whose eligibility status shows “NOT ELIGIBLE” to send “YES” to an unofficial code, promising that the N50,000 would be credited within 24 hours.
But MTN Nigeria has distanced itself from the instruction, warning subscribers against falling for the trick.
In a response to the circulating message, MTN Support described the information as fake and urged customers not to click suspicious links, disclose personal information, share one-time passwords (OTPs), PINs or passwords, or make payments based on such instructions.
The company stressed that the message did not originate from MTN.
According to the official NERSI portal, beneficiaries are selected through verified National Identity records and the National Social Register.
The government said payments would be processed through approved providers, including MoMo PSB, ALAT by Wema, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
For MTN subscribers, MoMo PSB is the designated payment provider.
HOW MTN USERS CAN CHECK AND ACCESS THE N50,000
Dial the official code
MTN subscribers can dial 6710# using the phone number linked to their records and follow the instructions to check their eligibility or payment status.
Accept the offer
Subscribers officially selected for the intervention will receive a notification requesting their consent. They should follow the instructions provided to accept the support.
Respond to genuine MoMo notifications
Beneficiaries who receive an authentic MoMo notification or pop-up requesting consent should follow the on-screen instructions to approve the payment.
Open a MoMo wallet
Those without a MoMo account can dial *671# or download the official MoMo NG application to register and create a wallet.
Withdraw or transfer the money
Once the N50,000 is credited, beneficiaries can access the funds through the MoMo application, USSD or an authorised MoMo agent. The money can also be transferred to a bank account.
FG EXPLAINS HOW BENEFICIARIES WILL RECEIVE MONEY
The Federal Government had earlier explained that selected beneficiaries would receive text messages from their designated payment providers requesting consent before the money is transferred to their mobile wallets.
In an October 30 statement announcing the commencement of the intervention, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, said qualified Nigerians would receive N50,000 monthly to help meet essential needs and cushion the effects of rising living expenses.
Doro explained that beneficiaries would not need to submit applications, pay registration fees or go through agents to access the money.
He also urged Nigerians to beware of fraudsters and avoid disclosing sensitive banking information, including their PINs and Bank Verification Numbers.
The ministry further clarified that the programme is free and that beneficiaries are being contacted in batches.
Meanwhile, Nigerians whose eligibility status shows “NOT SELECTED” should not automatically assume they have been permanently excluded, as the payments are being rolled out in phases.
However, the government has not guaranteed that everyone left out of the current batch will receive the grant in a subsequent round.
For complaints and enquiries, beneficiaries can contact the NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 or MoMo PSB customer support on 671.
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