In case you missed it, the Federal Government has explained how beneficiaries are selected for its ₦50,000 cash relief under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).
According to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, beneficiaries are selected from verified national identity records and the National Social Register (NSR), then screened to reach poor and vulnerable households.
The government stressed that Nigerians cannot apply or pay to be included, as payments are made in phases across all six geopolitical zones.
The program is intended to cushion vulnerable households from rising living costs.
Beneficiaries are drawn from verified National Identification Number (NIN) records and the National Social Register (NSR), then screened to reach poor and vulnerable households.
The NIN, issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), verifies identity and links a recipient to the mobile wallet used for payment.
The NSR, coordinated by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NSSCO), contains data on more than 70 million people.
States first identify their poorest local government areas and communities; trained teams then work with residents and community leaders to register vulnerable households digitally and assess them using poverty indicators.
Households ranked within the bottom six deciles may qualify for the National Beneficiary Register (NBR), which supports cash-transfer programs.
Enrollment in both the NIMC identity system and the NSR is a prerequisite, although the government has not published the detailed screening criteria used to make the final selection.
The Ministry says Nigerians cannot apply for, or pay to be added to, the beneficiary list.
“You cannot apply or pay to be added,” the NERSI website says, adding that not everyone will be included in the first group and that personal data will be used only for the program.
Selection is based on need and covers all six geopolitical zones, regardless of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, according to the government.
Payments are being made in phases, so eligible recipients will not receive notifications at the same time.
Under NERSI, selected beneficiaries receive ₦50,000 in a mobile wallet, which the government describes as a grant rather than a loan.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Bernard Doro announced the start of disbursements on October 30, saying the initiative would provide immediate relief to vulnerable households.
Approved payment providers include ALAT by Wema, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
Beneficiaries can check their status by dialing 94523# ( ALAT by Wema), 6710# (MoMo PSB), 72600# (NairaGram), 95520# (Opay) and 557327# (Moniepoint).
Selected recipients receive a text message requesting consent before funds are credited.
