Nigeria Federal Government launches N50,000 relief grant

The Nigerian Federal Government has commenced the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), a programme designed to provide N50,000 cash grants to vulnerable households to help mitigate rising living costs. Managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the initiative provides funds through mobile wallets operated by five approved providers: ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay, and Moniepoint.

Beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records based on assessed need. The government clarified that the funds are a grant, not a loan, and no deductions will be made. Recipients are notified via SMS in phases, and the government has advised that a delay in receiving a message does not necessarily mean an individual has been excluded from the programme.

To claim the funds, selected individuals must confirm their participation, often by replying “YES” to an official SMS or using a provider's USSD code. The government has issued strong warnings against fraudsters, noting that no one can be added to the list for a fee and that legitimate communications will never ask for PINs, OTPs, or BVNs.