The Federal Government has explained how beneficiaries are identified for its ₦50,000 relief grant under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), following questions about the roles of Moniepoint, OPay and other payment providers.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction says beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records. The records are screened to identify poor and vulnerable households across the six geopolitical zones.
Payment providers do not choose beneficiaries. Their role is to notify selected recipients, open mobile wallets and deliver funds after beneficiaries give consent.
The five approved providers are ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB), NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint. Selected people receive SMS notifications from their assigned providers. Phone numbers are drawn from verified records and linked to beneficiaries’ National Identification Numbers (NINs).
The grant is ₦50,000 and is not a loan. The full amount is credited to the beneficiary’s wallet after acceptance. There is no public application process, registration portal or fee to join the list.
Payments are being made in phases across the country.
How to qualify and accept payment
There is no application form. Beneficiaries are selected using verified identity records and the National Social Register, based on poverty and vulnerability criteria. Having an account with an approved provider does not automatically qualify anyone.
If selected, wait for an SMS from ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay or Moniepoint. Follow the message and give consent by replying YES or using the provider’s official USSD code. The codes are ALAT, *945*23#; MoMo PSB, *671*0#; NairaGram, *726*00#; OPay, *955*20#; and Moniepoint, *5573“27#.
After consent, a wallet linked to the registered phone number and NIN is opened and credited. The service is free. Do not pay agents, click unfamiliar links or disclose your PIN, one-time password (OTP) or bank verification number (BVN). For assistance, call 0700-022-2222.