The Federal Government has explained how Nigerians can check eligibility and receive the N50,000 grant under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).
The programme is run by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to help vulnerable households cope with rising living costs. The money is a grant, not a loan – you do not have to pay it back.
Who is eligible?
– Beneficiaries are picked from the National Social Register and verified National Identity records.
– Selection is based on need, not religion, ethnicity, politics or location.
– It covers all 6 geopolitical zones but payments are done in batches, so not everyone gets alert at the same time.
– You cannot apply or pay anyone to add your name. The FG says it’s free.
How will you receive it?
The FG approved 5 payment providers:
– ALAT by Wema Bank
– MoMo PSB
– NairaGram
– OPay
– Moniepoint
If selected, you will get an SMS from your assigned provider with a USSD code to accept the payment. Example: ALAT users may be asked to dial 94523#
You can also dial your provider’s USSD to check eligibility yourself. If not selected, you will see: “You are currently not selected to receive this relief support.”
You don’t need a smartphone or data – any basic phone works.
How to accept and withdraw
1. Dial the USSD in the SMS and follow instructions.
2. A mobile wallet will be opened for you and N50,000 credited.
3. You will get a confirmation SMS.
You can withdraw all or part of it, transfer to your bank, or use a POS agent.
USSD codes to withdraw:
– ALAT: 94523# or dial 94523_AccountNumber_Amount#
– MoMo PSB: 6710#
– NairaGram: 72600#
– OPay: 95520#
– Moniepoint: 557327#
POS agents may charge their normal fee.
How to know real SMS and avoid scam
– Real SMS only comes from the official names of the 5 providers.
– No link to click, no request for PIN, OTP, BVN or payment to unlock money.
– Ignore WhatsApp broadcasts and calls asking for money.
– Accepting and checking is FREE.
Where to report issues
– ALAT: 0803 900 3700
– MoMo PSB: 671 or 0803 106 7100
– NairaGram: 0201 330 0880 / 0201 330 0881
– OPay: 0700 888 8328 or 0201 888 8328
– NERSI Helpline: 0700-022-2222