The Federal Government's ₦50,000 relief grant, introduced under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), is accessible to eligible Nigerians through five designated digital financial service providers. Beneficiaries can check their eligibility and access the funds using USSD codes and mobile banking platforms.
Five platforms and their USSD codes
The five platforms named for the intervention are ALAT by Wema, MoMo Payment Service Bank, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint. Beneficiaries can use the following provider-specific codes to check their status or follow instructions relating to the grant:
- ALAT by Wema Bank: *945*23#
- MoMo PSB (MTN): *671*0#
- NairaGram: *726*00#
- OPay: *557*327#
These codes are intended to provide access to information about the intervention through the respective financial service providers. However, checking eligibility does not automatically guarantee payment, as disbursement depends on beneficiary selection and verification.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction also lists Xpress Payments as a sixth approved provider, although its USSD access details have not yet been published.
How Nigerians can check grant eligibility
According to the ministry's official NERSI portal, beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records. Selected individuals receive an SMS from an approved financial institution informing them of their eligibility.
They must then follow the instructions, provide consent and activate their designated mobile wallet before receiving payment. For OPay customers, eligibility notifications may also appear directly on the app's homepage. The process does not require an internet-enabled smartphone, as beneficiaries can use USSD services on basic mobile phones.
What happens if you are not selected?
Nigerians whose eligibility checks return a "NOT SELECTED" message have been advised to remain patient. Payments are being processed in phases, meaning some eligible beneficiaries may receive notifications later than others. However, receiving a negative eligibility response does not guarantee selection in a subsequent payment batch, according to Punch.
FG warns Nigerians against grant scams
The government has warned Nigerians against individuals demanding registration fees or promising to influence beneficiary selection. NERSI is a grant, not a loan, and recipients are not required to repay the money. Beneficiaries should never disclose their banking PINs, passwords, BVNs or one-time passwords to anyone claiming to represent the programme.
Anyone seeking clarification can contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 or visit the official NERSI information portal. The ministry's portal describes the payment as a one-off ₦50,000 grant, although some news reports have described it as monthly support, so the payment frequency requires clarification.
