The Federal Government has explained how Nigerians are selected for its ₦50,000 monthly cash relief, revealing that beneficiaries are identified through verified National Identification Number (NIN) records and the National Social Register.
The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), as the government continues disbursing financial assistance to poor and vulnerable households across the country.
According to information published on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction’s official NERSI website, beneficiaries are selected from existing government databases rather than through a public application process.
The ministry explained that the selection process involves matching verified national identity records with information contained in the National Social Register before screening households considered eligible for assistance.
“Beneficiaries are selected from verified national identity records and the national social register, then screened to reach poor and vulnerable households,” the ministry stated.
The National Identification Number, issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), serves as an identity verification tool and is linked to the mobile wallet through which selected beneficiaries receive their payments.
The National Social Register, coordinated by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), contains information on poor and vulnerable households identified through community-based registration and poverty assessment.
According to NASSCO, the database contains information on more than 70 million individuals, making it a major component of Nigeria’s social protection system.
How the government identifies beneficiaries
The registration process begins with states identifying their poorest local government areas and communities.
Trained registration teams subsequently work with residents, community leaders and relevant local structures to identify households experiencing poverty and economic vulnerability.
The identified households are registered digitally and assessed using poverty indicators.
NASSCO’s published methodology also outlines the use of Proxy Means Testing, which evaluates household characteristics to estimate economic circumstances and rank households according to their poverty levels.
Under the established National Social Register methodology, households ranked within the bottom six deciles can qualify for inclusion in the National Beneficiary Register, which supports government cash transfer interventions.
However, the NERSI website does not provide a detailed breakdown of the specific scoring criteria or additional screening thresholds being applied to the current ₦50,000 intervention.
The ministry also clarified that Nigerians cannot independently apply or pay to secure a place on the beneficiary list.
“You cannot apply or pay to be added,” the website stated, adding that beneficiaries would be contacted in phases and that not everyone would be included in the initial payment batch.
How to check eligibility for the ₦50,000 payment
Under NERSI, selected beneficiaries receive ₦50,000 monthly through mobile wallets operated by approved financial service providers.
The government describes the payment as a grant, not a loan, meaning recipients are not required to repay the money.
The intervention is designed to provide immediate financial assistance to vulnerable households struggling with rising living costs.
According to the ministry, the programme covers all six geopolitical zones, with selection based on economic need rather than religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.
Nigerians can check their eligibility through the approved providers using the following USSD codes:
- ALAT by Wema Bank: 94523#
- MoMo PSB: 6710#
- NairaGram: 72600#
- OPay: 95520#
- Moniepoint: 557327#
The codes allow users to access eligibility information and follow the instructions provided by their respective payment platforms.
The ministry explained that selected beneficiaries would also receive text messages from approved providers requesting their consent before payments are processed.
Those who have not received notifications should understand that disbursements are being conducted in batches. Not receiving an SMS immediately does not necessarily mean that subsequent payment phases will not take place.
FG warns Nigerians against payment scams
The Federal Government has cautioned Nigerians against individuals demanding money in exchange for access to the relief programme.
The ministry stressed that registration, selection and acceptance of the NERSI payment are free.
It also warned beneficiaries against disclosing their banking PINs, one-time passwords (OTPs) and other sensitive financial information to unauthorised individuals.
The NERSI website provides an official assistance hotline, 0700-022-2222, for Nigerians seeking clarification about the programme or suspicious payment notifications.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of NERSI disbursements on October 30, 2026.
In his announcement, Doro said the intervention would provide ₦50,000 monthly to eligible vulnerable Nigerians, with payments delivered through licensed digital financial service providers.
The government has yet to publish a detailed breakdown of the total number of beneficiaries, the complete disbursement schedule and the specific screening thresholds for the current intervention.
