FG’s ₦50,000 relief: Can Nigerians transfer the money to another bank account?

Nigerians selected for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief programme can transfer their money to personal bank accounts or send it to other people after receiving the payment, according to guidelines published by the government.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction explained that beneficiaries of the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) are not restricted to withdrawing their grants through Point-of-Sale (POS) agents.

Instead, recipients can use designated mobile wallets to transfer the money to conventional bank accounts, make payments or withdraw cash when necessary.

The ministry also clarified that beneficiaries are not required to withdraw the entire ₦50,000 immediately after receiving it.

However, the government stressed that the grant belongs to the selected beneficiary and that no individual is authorised to collect the money on another person’s behalf without proper authorisation.

According to the official NERSI programme guidelines, beneficiaries can transfer their grants to any bank account through their designated financial service providers.

The government explained that recipients can initiate transfers using approved USSD codes or their providers’ official mobile applications.

This means that a beneficiary who receives the ₦50,000 in a mobile wallet does not necessarily have to keep the money with the original payment provider.

For instance, someone assigned to OPay can transfer money from the wallet to an account with another Nigerian bank.

Similarly, a Moniepoint beneficiary can use the provider’s designated services to send funds to a different financial institution.

The ministry also confirmed that beneficiaries can transfer money to another person’s bank account.

However, recipients should carefully verify the destination account details before authorising transactions.

The government’s guidance does not require beneficiaries to move the entire grant into a conventional bank account.

The Federal Government has approved five payment providers for the intervention.

They are ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.

Each provider has a designated USSD code through which selected beneficiaries can access their funds.

According to the ministry, ALAT beneficiaries can transfer money using a designated USSD sequence.

The published format is *945*23*Account Number*Amount#.

Beneficiaries must replace the account number and amount fields with their intended transaction details.

MoMo PSB users can dial *671*0# or use the MoMo NG application.

OPay and Moniepoint beneficiaries can similarly use their designated USSD services or official mobile applications to complete transfers.

NairaGram recipients can dial *726*00# and follow the displayed instructions.

The ministry has clarified that beneficiaries can transfer or withdraw part of their grants while retaining the remaining balance in their mobile wallets.

For example, a beneficiary who receives ₦50,000 may decide to transfer ₦20,000 to a personal bank account and leave ₦30,000 in the original wallet.

Another recipient may choose to transfer ₦10,000 to a family member and retain the balance for household expenses.

These are illustrative examples rather than government-prescribed spending arrangements.

According to the programme’s official FAQ, beneficiaries can withdraw all or part of the money, with the remaining balance staying in their wallets.

This arrangement allows recipients to decide how they manage the financial assistance.

However, applicable transaction charges may depend on the payment provider and the transfer channel used.

The government has warned that beneficiaries should not surrender control of their grants to individuals claiming to represent the programme.

According to the ministry, the payment is linked to the selected person’s registered phone number and mobile wallet.

Although beneficiaries may voluntarily transfer funds to other people, the original grant must first be accessed through the authorised beneficiary’s payment channel.

The ministry explained that a trusted family member may assist someone in navigating the USSD menu.

However, beneficiaries should personally enter their PINs and must never disclose their one-time passwords or other confidential security information.

The government also warned against individuals who claim that a payment was made in error and demand that the recipient transfer the money to another account.

Such claims should be verified directly with the designated payment provider.

The ministry has stated that accepting and receiving the ₦50,000 grant are free.

Selected beneficiaries are not required to pay registration, processing or acceptance fees.

However, the government’s official guidelines acknowledge that normal transaction charges may apply when recipients withdraw cash through POS agents.

Bank transfer charges, where applicable, depend on the relevant financial service provider.

Beneficiaries should therefore review any displayed transaction fees before confirming transfers.

The ministry has also warned Nigerians against paying individuals who promise to facilitate payment or secure their inclusion in the programme.

For further clarification, beneficiaries can visit the official NERSI website or contact the programme helpline on 0700-022-2222.

The government’s guidance confirms that selected beneficiaries can transfer their ₦50,000 grants to bank accounts or other recipients, provided they follow the appropriate payment procedures.