FG Begins ₦50,000 Monthly Cash Relief Payments to Vulnerable Nigerians Under NERSI

Abdulhameed Sherif · Nigeria · Nov 4, 2026

The Federal Government has commenced monthly ₦50,000 payments to vulnerable households under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), announced by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Bernard Doro.

The Federal Government has commenced disbursement of a ₦50,000 monthly cash relief programme to vulnerable households across the country, under a presidential initiative known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI). The scheme is designed to provide immediate financial assistance to millions of Nigerians struggling with the rising cost of living.

How the Scheme Works

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of payments in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja. According to the minister, eligible beneficiaries will receive ₦50,000 monthly to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs. The programme will be reviewed regularly in response to changes in the cost of living, with beneficiaries notified directly before any adjustment.

The ministry is working with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure secure and transparent delivery of the funds. Beneficiaries will receive text messages from the providers requesting their consent before payments are made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets. Doro stressed that beneficiaries are not required to apply, pay any fee, or register through agents to access the intervention. He also warned Nigerians against fraudsters, advising beneficiaries not to disclose their PINs or BVNs to anyone, and urged anyone unsure about a message to call the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.

Checking Eligibility

Digital financial services provider OPay has explained how Nigerians can check their eligibility for the scheme. According to the company, eligible customers will receive a pop-up notification on the homepage of their OPay mobile application, which they must click to access the next steps for payment. Customers who do not receive the notification are not eligible, and OPay stressed that it does not determine who qualifies for the support. The company also warned against fraudsters demanding PINs, OTPs, or payments to facilitate access to the relief scheme, advising customers to check their eligibility only through the official app or by dialling the USSD code 95520#.

Transparency Concerns

The programme has drawn scrutiny from civil society and opposition figures. ActionAid Nigeria has demanded full transparency from the Federal Government, insisting that it must disclose the funding source, beneficiary selection criteria, and disbursement arrangements. The organisation also raised concerns over conflicting descriptions of the intervention, noting that while the minister announced it as a monthly payment, the programme's official website describes it as a one-off grant.

ActionAid's Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, said Nigerians deserve clear and verifiable information on the programme's financial commitments. He noted that supporting one million households with ₦50,000 monthly would require ₦50 billion, while five million households would cost ₦250 billion monthly, stressing the need for transparent budgeting and legislative oversight. The organisation also questioned the reliance on the National Social Register for beneficiary selection, noting that the register contains more than 20 million poor and vulnerable households but questions remain about when it was last updated.

ActionAid further warned against politicising the intervention, particularly with the 2027 general elections approaching, stating that "social protection is not a political favour or an act of charity; it is a responsibility of government to its citizens". The organisation urged the government to demonstrate that the intervention is driven strictly by vulnerability and need, not political considerations. It also called for accessible grievance mechanisms for eligible Nigerians excluded from the register, stressing that access to social protection should not depend solely on national identification documents, mobile phones, or bank accounts.