The Federal Government has explained how Nigerians are selected for its ₦50,000 relief grant under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), following questions about eligibility.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction says beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records. Households are screened using poverty and vulnerability criteria across all six geopolitical zones.
The programme is not open to public applications. Having a National Identification Number (NIN) alone does not guarantee payment, and no agent or official can add names or influence selection.
Selected beneficiaries receive SMS notifications from approved providers, including ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB), NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint. Payments are made in batches, so recipients are not contacted at the same time.
Each selected beneficiary receives ₦50,000 as a grant, not a loan. Recipients do not repay the money or pay a fee to receive it. Nigerians should avoid anyone demanding money or promising inclusion.
How to apply
There is currently no public application form or registration portal for NERSI. Nigerians cannot apply individually or pay to be included.
Those who receive an official SMS should follow their provider’s instructions to consent and access the money. For enquiries, call the NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.