FG’s ₦50,000 relief: NairaGram beneficiaries report withdrawal problems as provider responds

Some beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief programme have complained about difficulties withdrawing money credited to their NairaGram wallets.

The complaints concern payments under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), which was launched on October 30 to provide financial support to vulnerable Nigerians.

According to reports published on November 5 and 6, some recipients said they could see their grants but could not complete withdrawals or transfers.

The difficulties reportedly affected NairaGram’s designated USSD service, raising questions about when affected customers would regain access to their money.

In responses reported by Nigeria Startup News, NairaGram acknowledged that some customers were experiencing withdrawal difficulties and said it was working to restore the service.

However, the available reporting does not establish that every affected transaction has been resolved.

NairaGram is one of five financial service providers authorised to distribute the NERSI grant.

The government says selected beneficiaries receive an SMS, provide consent and subsequently access their money through mobile wallets.

For NairaGram recipients, the ministry lists *726*00# as the designated USSD service.

However, some customers reportedly encountered problems when attempting to withdraw or transfer their grants.

A November 5 report by Nigeria Startup News described complaints involving unsuccessful USSD sessions and difficulties accessing wallet balances.

In a follow-up report published on November 6, Nigeria Startup News quoted NairaGram’s Facebook responses to affected beneficiaries.

The provider reportedly assured customers that their money remained in their wallets and acknowledged that some users could not withdraw through the designated USSD service.

It also said work was underway to restore withdrawals.

Another reported response indicated that the provider was checking transactions that had not reached the intended bank accounts or POS agents.

However, the publication did not establish a definite restoration date.

The reported responses should not be interpreted as confirmation that all affected beneficiaries have subsequently received their money.

A failed transaction may involve a technical problem rather than the disappearance of the beneficiary’s money.

However, only the financial service provider can confirm the status of a particular wallet or transfer.

Beneficiaries should avoid repeatedly initiating transactions that remain pending without first checking their status.

Those who have received a transaction reference should retain it when contacting customer support.

Recipients should also avoid relying on social media instructions that claim they must leave a particular amount in their wallets to unlock withdrawals.

The ministry has not announced a universal rule requiring NairaGram beneficiaries to abandon part of their ₦50,000 grant.

The official NERSI portal advises users experiencing USSD problems to check their network connection and retry the service.

If the difficulty persists, they should contact their designated provider.

The ministry lists the following NairaGram customer care numbers:

Beneficiaries can also contact the NERSI programme helpline on 0700-022-2222.

When reporting a problem, they should explain whether the money is visible in their wallet, whether a transfer was attempted and whether a transaction reference was generated.

They should not disclose their PINs or one-time passwords.

The difficulties highlight an important distinction between announcing a cash transfer and ensuring that beneficiaries can actually use the money.

A grant credited to a wallet may offer limited immediate relief if the recipient cannot withdraw or spend it.

SERAP has also raised concerns about reports of beneficiaries who received notifications but could not access their funds.

In its November 7 information request, the organisation asked the government to explain how failed and disputed payments are being addressed.

The ministry’s official NERSI portal provides the recognised payment procedures and customer support channels.

For affected NairaGram customers, the outstanding question is whether the reported withdrawal difficulties have been fully resolved and how quickly pending transactions are being processed.