The Federal Government says it will commence a monthly cash transfer of N50,000 to selected vulnerable households under its national emergency relief and stabilisation intervention (NERSI).
In a statement issued on Friday, Bernard Doro, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, said the payments were intended to ease the pressure of rising living costs on vulnerable Nigerians.
According to the minister, beneficiaries would receive an SMS from one of the network providers requesting their consent before payment is made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
“This message is genuine. Once consent is given, payment is made directly to the beneficiary’s account/mobile wallet,” Doro said.
The minister said NERSI complements the Federal Government’s existing social protection and economic support programmes.
He said the intervention reflects the government’s commitment to providing immediate relief while building household resilience and economic stability in line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
“We recognise the challenges many Nigerians are facing. The ministry is committed to delivering this intervention with dignity, transparency and accountability,” he said.
Doro urged beneficiaries to be wary of fraudsters, adding that they were not required to apply, pay any fee or register through an agent to receive the support.
“Never share your PIN or BVN with anyone,” he cautioned.
He advised Nigerians who were unsure about any message or are asked to pay money to access the intervention to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.
The minister said the programme would be reviewed periodically to reflect changes in the cost of living, adding that beneficiaries would be notified directly before any adjustments were made.
According to the NERSI portal, beneficiaries are identified through verified national identity records and the national social register, with the programme targeting poor and vulnerable households.
The portal lists ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank and NairaGram as approved payment providers.
It also states that the intervention is being implemented in phases, meaning beneficiaries may not receive notifications at the same time.
The programme’s published guidelines further explain that beneficiaries can access their funds through mobile wallets, transfer the money to bank accounts or withdraw through agents, subject to applicable transaction charges.
