Check eligibility for FG’s ₦50,000 grant

Nigerians selected for the Federal Government’s National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) can check their status and accept the ₦50,000 support through five payment providers: ALAT by Wema, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.

The programme targets poor and vulnerable households. It does not operate an open application process, and owning an account with a participating provider does not automatically qualify anyone for payment.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the intervention’s commencement on 30 October 2026. His official statement said beneficiaries would receive payment after consenting through their designated financial service providers.

The procedures below reflect published government and provider guidance available on 5 November 2026. Some details, particularly payment frequency, differ between official publications.

Who qualifies for NERSI?

The government selects beneficiaries from the National Social Register and verified national identity records, screening them to identify poor and vulnerable households.

Selection covers all six geopolitical zones and does not depend on religion, ethnicity or political affiliation. Providers contact beneficiaries in phases, so people in the same community may receive notifications at different times.

Having a National Identification Number (NIN), appearing on a social register or experiencing financial hardship should not be treated as confirmation of payment. The eligibility check establishes whether the person has actually been selected.

The published information does not provide a complete screening formula or specific age, employment and income thresholds. It therefore offers no basis for promising that every student, unemployed person, pensioner or low-income worker will qualify.

Can someone apply or register?

There is no public NERSI application form. Applicants do not need an agent, political representative or registration payment to secure consideration.

Moniepoint’s announcement on access to the intervention confirms that government verification determines selection. The bank facilitates payments; it does not make every customer a beneficiary. Opening accounts with several providers does not replace that selection process.

People seeking information about inclusion in the wider social register can contact the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) or their State Operations Coordinating Unit.

NASSCO explains that trained teams work with communities and local government officers to identify and register vulnerable households. Its state contact directory provides official contacts. This register-building process is separate from claiming an approved NERSI payment and does not guarantee selection for the intervention.

The five approved payment channels

The ministry’s NERSI portal lists the following codes. Enter every asterisk and the final hash sign exactly as shown.

Use the provider identified in the genuine notification. These are the five providers listed by the ministry; transferring money afterwards to another bank does not make that bank a NERSI payment provider.

How to check and accept the payment

Selected recipients should use the phone number associated with their notification and payment record.

1. Open the phone’s dialler and enter the appropriate provider code.

2. Select the eligibility-check option where it appears.

3. Read the result before proceeding.

4. If selected, follow the prompts to consent to the support.

5. Check the subsequent confirmation and wallet balance.

Moniepoint’s claim instructions warn that attempts from a different, unauthorised phone number will fail. The guidance requires recipients to accept the transfer through the official prompts.

A basic mobile phone can run the USSD process without an internet connection. A smartphone is necessary only for someone choosing an app-based route.

If the original notification has been deleted, the recipient can still dial the provider’s code and check their status. Someone who mistakenly declines can dial again and select the acceptance option.

OPay users: The company says selected customers will see a notification on their app homepage. They should open that notification and follow its instructions. OPay has also directed customers to *955*20# and says it does not determine eligibility.

In its clarification, OPay said customers without the feature were not eligible. Anyone disputing their status should contact NERSI rather than pay someone to activate the feature.

What “not selected” means

A “not selected” response means the check has not identified the person as an approved recipient at that time. It is not an instruction to pay a processing fee, submit information to an unofficial website or approach a middleman.

The phased rollout explains why notifications do not reach everyone together. However, waiting for another batch does not guarantee a future payment.

Moniepoint has said that not all customers qualify or receive selection at the same time. Customers should distinguish between a delayed notification for an approved payment and a result showing that they have not been selected.

Receiving, transferring and withdrawing the money

NERSI is a grant, so beneficiaries do not repay it.

After acceptance and credit, recipients can transfer money to a bank account or arrange a cash withdrawal through an appropriate agent. They may withdraw the full amount or leave part in the wallet.

For a POS withdrawal, the recipient transfers the agreed amount to the agent, who provides cash. ALAT recipients can also use Wema branches, while MoMo offers its agent network.

A trusted relative may help someone navigate a menu, but the beneficiary should enter their own PIN and retain control of the phone. The payment belongs to the selected recipient; assistance does not authorise someone else to claim it.

The ministry says a recipient’s wallet is linked to their phone number and NIN. Anyone encountering an account-opening or identity-verification problem should resolve it with the designated provider.

Fees and documentation

Accepting and receiving the grant attracts no programme fee. However, a POS agent may charge an ordinary withdrawal fee. Beneficiaries should establish that charge before authorising a withdrawal. A cash-out charge is different from an alleged fee to release or approve the grant.

Moniepoint’s announcement says its NERSI access process requires no additional documentation or third-party intervention. This should not be confused with resolving a separate problem involving an existing bank account, lost SIM or incorrect identity record.

The published guidance does not provide a network-by-network schedule of USSD charges. Readers should therefore distinguish the absence of a NERSI participation fee from any separate telecommunications or ordinary banking charge.

Is the ₦50,000 monthly or a one-off payment?

The publications differ.

Doro’s 30 October launch statement describes ₦50,000 monthly, with regular reviews and notification before changes.

Moniepoint’s NERSI FAQ describes a one-off ₦50,000 grant, saying further support would require an official announcement.

The minister’s statement sets out the government’s announced position, but the conflicting provider guidance leaves recipients needing clarification about subsequent instalments. Neither publication supplies a fixed total number of payments. Beneficiaries should seek confirmation from the ministry or NERSI helpdesk before assuming a guaranteed payment period.

Failed codes, authorisation errors and delayed credit

A failed USSD session does not, by itself, establish whether someone qualifies. Check the network connection, retry and contact the provider if the failure continues.

Moniepoint gives specific instructions for the message “You are not permitted to perform this operation”. Its help page advises waiting briefly and trying again. It says a repeated authorisation failure on the second attempt indicates ineligibility.

That explanation applies to Moniepoint’s stated error; it should not be used to interpret every technical failure across all five providers.

The same page advises accepted recipients to allow a few hours for wallet credit after confirmation. This is provider guidance, not a universal payment deadline. A recipient whose confirmation and balance do not agree should contact the provider.

The ministry encourages recipients to accept promptly after notification but does not publish a universal calendar deadline on its programme page.

Lost phones, SIM cards and incorrect records

Someone who loses their phone or SIM should contact the payment provider immediately to protect the wallet, then arrange a replacement SIM carrying the same number through the network operator.

For MoMo users, the bank’s terms and conditions specifically require customers to report a lost or stolen SIM or device through customer service or a designated service centre.

Where the problem concerns an inaccurate social-register entry, NASSCO’s grievance system or the relevant state coordinating unit provides an enquiry route. Its published FAQ identifies 969 as a toll-free complaints line on MTN.

NASSCO handles social-register enquiries; the payment provider handles wallet access and transactions. Neither enquiry should involve surrendering banking security credentials.

Fraudulent messages and requests for sensitive information

Do not disclose a PIN, password, one-time password or Bank Verification Number to someone claiming they need it to release the grant.

OPay’s security guidance warns that fraudsters can imitate familiar organisations, websites and messages. A recognisable logo or sender name is therefore insufficient proof that a request is genuine.

Use the verified code or open the official banking app independently. Avoid unfamiliar application downloads and links demanding account credentials.

If security details have already been disclosed, contact the provider immediately to secure the account and report any unexplained transactions.

Doro’s launch statement also warns against registration agents and demands for payment. The official NERSI helpdesk can verify doubtful messages.

Verified help contacts

Use the programme helpdesk for selection questions and the relevant provider for account access, failed transactions or missing credit.

The numbers appear on the NERSI programme page, Wema’s website, OPay’s website and Moniepoint’s contact page. The NERSI number is a published helpline; the government guidance reviewed does not identify it as toll-free.