FG’s ₦50,000 relief: What to do if NERSI USSD code is not working on your phone

Nigerians attempting to access the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief programme through USSD may encounter unsuccessful sessions, network errors or messages indicating that a transaction cannot be completed.

Such problems can be frustrating, particularly for beneficiaries who have already received SMS notifications confirming their selection for the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction says selected Nigerians can use designated USSD services to accept the grant and access their mobile wallets.

The system is intended to make the intervention accessible to people who do not own smartphones or have regular internet access.

However, a failed USSD session does not automatically mean that a beneficiary has lost eligibility or that the ₦50,000 payment has been cancelled.

The cause of the problem may need to be established through the designated payment provider.

USSD services allow mobile phone users to interact with financial institutions through short codes.

Unlike ordinary mobile banking applications, USSD transactions do not generally require an internet connection.

However, they still depend on a functioning mobile network and the availability of the financial institution’s service.

A failed session may result from temporary network difficulties, service interruptions or an incomplete transaction.

Problems can also occur when a user enters the wrong code or attempts to access a service through a telephone number that is not recognised by the provider.

These are possible technical explanations, not confirmed diagnoses of any particular NERSI transaction.

Beneficiaries should therefore avoid assuming that every error message has the same meaning.

Where the problem persists, the designated provider is best placed to clarify whether it concerns network access, account verification or the payment process.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has identified five authorised payment providers.

Its published clarification lists the following NERSI service codes:

The codes are associated with the providers’ programme services, but beneficiaries should use only the provider assigned to them.

Before dialling, recipients should verify the current code against the provider’s official instructions, particularly if the information was obtained from social media.

The ministry says selected beneficiaries may be required to reply YES to an SMS or use the designated USSD service to provide consent.

A beneficiary experiencing an unsuccessful USSD session should first check whether the phone has a working mobile network connection.

If the signal is weak or unavailable, the service may not respond correctly.

The person should also confirm that the code being used belongs to the financial service provider identified in the genuine notification.

Someone assigned to OPay, for example, should not assume that dialling another provider’s code will display their NERSI payment.

Where a session times out, it may be reasonable to wait briefly before attempting the transaction again.

However, beneficiaries should avoid repeatedly authorising the same financial transaction without checking whether an earlier attempt was completed.

If the error continues, they should contact the designated provider for assistance.

Eligibility and technical access are different issues.

The ministry says NERSI beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.

An unsuccessful USSD session, by itself, does not establish whether a person is on the beneficiary list.

Similarly, receiving an error during wallet access does not necessarily mean the payment has been withdrawn.

However, someone who has not received a genuine eligibility notification should not assume that a technical error is the only reason the service is unavailable.

The provider may need to confirm whether the telephone number is recognised for the programme.

Only an authorised institution can clarify the status of a particular beneficiary’s account or transaction.

Beneficiaries who encounter technical difficulties may be tempted to borrow another person’s phone or use a different SIM card.

However, the NERSI process involves beneficiary identification and designated payment channels.

Using a different telephone number may not resolve a problem linked to the recipient’s registered details.

The ministry’s accessible clarification does not provide a universal procedure for changing the phone number associated with an existing NERSI notification.

Beneficiaries should therefore seek instructions from their assigned provider before attempting to change their registered contact details.

They should also avoid allowing strangers to handle confidential account information.

The ministry provides 0700-022-2222 as the official NERSI helpline.

Beneficiaries can use the number for programme-related enquiries and complaints.

For technical problems involving a particular wallet, contacting the relevant payment provider may offer a more direct route to assistance.

When reporting an error, recipients should explain what happened, identify the provider and describe any message displayed by the service.

They should never disclose their PINs, one-time passwords or Bank Verification Numbers to callers or agents.

The ministry also warns that no individual can demand money to accelerate payment or secure inclusion.

Its official clarification is available on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction website.

For beneficiaries, the important lesson is that a USSD failure should be investigated as a technical or account-related issue before conclusions are drawn about eligibility or payment status.