FG Begins N50,000 Monthly Relief Payments to Vulnerable Nigerians – How to Apply

According to a report by Punch on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of N50,000 monthly cash assistance to vulnerable Nigerians under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention.

The programme, introduced as part of the government’s efforts to address the rising cost of living, is designed to provide financial support to low-income households struggling with increasing food prices and the cost of essential commodities.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the intervention in a statement dated October 30, 2026.

According to the minister, the initiative is a presidential intervention aimed at providing immediate financial relief to Nigerians facing economic difficulties.

Doro explained that qualified beneficiaries would receive N50,000 every month to help them meet basic household needs and reduce the financial pressure caused by rising living expenses.

He said the payments would be reviewed periodically to reflect prevailing economic conditions and changes in the cost of living. Beneficiaries would also be informed ahead of any adjustments to the programme.

The minister added that the ministry had partnered with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure that the disbursement process was transparent, secure and accessible to intended recipients.

He explained that beneficiaries would receive text messages from approved payment providers requesting their consent before the funds were transferred.

According to him, the SMS notifications are genuine, and beneficiaries who provide the required consent will receive their payments directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.

The Federal Government said the intervention would be administered through selected digital financial service providers.

Beneficiaries are expected to receive an SMS notification from one of the approved providers, requesting their consent to receive the payment.

The approved providers and their respective USSD codes are:

The approved providers and their USSD codes are ALAT by Wema (*945*23#), MoMo PSB (*671*0#), NairaGram (*726*00#), OPay (*955*20#) and Moniepoint (*557*327#).

According to the announcement, beneficiaries who receive the official notification are expected to follow the instructions provided by their selected payment provider.

The announcement indicates that the payment process will involve direct communication with selected beneficiaries rather than an unrestricted payment to everyone.

Nigerians should therefore be cautious of individuals or websites claiming to offer guaranteed access to the N50,000 intervention in exchange for registration fees or personal banking information.

Beneficiaries should not disclose their PINs, passwords or one-time passwords (OTPs) to anyone claiming to facilitate payment. They should also verify suspicious messages through the relevant financial service provider or the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

The government says the intervention is intended to provide temporary financial assistance to vulnerable households as they cope with the increasing cost of essential goods and services.

Further checks of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction’s official NERSI portal provide an important clarification about how Nigerians can access the intervention.

According to the ministry, beneficiaries are selected automatically using verified national identity records and the National Social Register. This means Nigerians cannot independently apply or pay an agent to secure a place on the beneficiary list.

Selected beneficiaries are contacted through SMS from approved payment providers. Payments are being released in phases, so not everyone selected will receive a notification at the same time.

There is also a discrepancy in the payment terms: Minister Bernard Doro’s October 30 announcement describes the N50,000 support as monthly, while the ministry’s official programme portal currently describes it as a one-off payment.

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