The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of ₦50,000 monthly cash assistance to vulnerable Nigerians under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the programme in a statement issued on October 30, describing it as a presidential initiative aimed at providing immediate financial support to Nigerians affected by rising food prices and the increasing cost of essential goods.
According to the minister, eligible beneficiaries will receive ₦50,000 monthly to help meet their basic needs and ease the financial burden on households.
Doro explained that the intervention would be reviewed regularly in response to prevailing economic conditions, adding that beneficiaries would be notified ahead of any adjustments.
He said the ministry was collaborating with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure transparent and secure delivery of the funds.
The minister listed the approved payment platforms and their USSD codes as ALAT by Wema (94523#), MoMo PSB (6710#), NairaGram (72600#), OPay (95520#) and Moniepoint (557327#).
He added that beneficiaries would receive text messages requesting their consent before payments are made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
Meanwhile, the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalisation Programme (YEIDEP) disclosed on Tuesday that payments under NERSI were ongoing, with beneficiaries receiving notifications through their registered phone numbers.
The programme urged applicants whose eligibility status showed “NOT SELECTED” to remain patient and await subsequent batches, although it did not guarantee that all such individuals would eventually benefit.
Doro stressed that beneficiaries were not required to apply, pay any fee or register through agents to access the intervention.
He also warned Nigerians against fraudsters, advising them not to disclose their personal identification numbers or Bank Verification Numbers to unauthorised persons.
The minister urged anyone uncertain about a payment notification or approached for money in connection with the programme to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.
