‘I Was Jumping, Shouting’: Nigerians Share Experiences After Receiving FG’s N50,000 Grant

While questions have been raised over the Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly cash relief programme for vulnerable households, some Nigerians who say they have received the money have shared their experiences with AYOOLUWA AYOBAMI, explaining how the intervention has helped them meet some of their immediate needs. The Federal Government has……

While questions have been raised over the Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly cash relief programme for vulnerable households, some Nigerians who say they have received the money have shared their experiences with AYOOLUWA AYOBAMI, explaining how the intervention has helped them meet some of their immediate needs.

The Federal Government has introduced a monthly N50,000 cash assistance scheme for vulnerable households to ease the burden of rising living costs.

The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), introduced by the Federal Government, is designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households struggling with rising living costs.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, announced the programme, describing it as a presidential initiative aimed at cushioning the impact of global food inflation and the increasing cost of essential commodities.

“Under this intervention, eligible beneficiaries will receive N50,000 monthly, providing direct assistance to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs,” he said.

The selected beneficiaries are expected to receive N50,000 monthly through mobile wallets operated by designated payment providers, including MoMo, ALAT, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.

According to the Federal Government, beneficiaries are identified through verified national identity records and the National Social Register, with no provision for individuals to independently apply or pay to be included in the list.

The payment process begins with an SMS notification to selected individuals, who are required to confirm their participation by replying YES. A mobile wallet is subsequently created and linked to their phone numbers and National Identification Numbers (NINs), after which the money is credited.

However, the programme has generated questions among Nigerians, particularly over its credibility, accessibility, the selection of beneficiaries and whether the intervention is real and making any meaningful difference amid the country’s economic challenges.

While some have questioned the reality of the payments, accounts from some individuals who said they benefited from the intervention provide insight into how the money has been received and utilised.

‘I was jumping and shouting, I don receive my own’

For Mrs Felicia Godwin, receiving the N50,000 intervention was an exciting experience, especially as the alert came on her birthday.

Godwin said she received an SMS notification through MoMo on Thursday, November 5, and completed the process without much difficulty.

Recounting her reaction, she said, “I feel on top of the world, like I was jumping and shouting, I don receive my own. The joy was priceless.”

According to her, she followed the instructions contained in the message, dialled the designated code and created a transfer PIN before receiving the credit alert about an hour later.

“The process wasn’t stressful. The message came through MoMo bank. I followed the instructions on the message and dialed the code. Created transfer pin and about an hour later, I received the credit alert of 50,000 Naira,” she said.

Godwin said she initially bought a bottle of Coke before purchasing food items for her household.

“I bought cold coke first, then transfer 2,000 to someone per share from free money. Then I bought food stuff package at home,” she added.

She explained that the money had helped ease her household expenditure, particularly the cost of feeding, although she intends to use the remaining balance to purchase another item she had previously struggled to afford.

Describing the financial situation before receiving the intervention, Godwin said meeting daily needs had been about 50 per cent difficult.

She also considered the timing of the payment particularly significant, revealing that the money arrived on her birthday.

“100% timely, the money can on time and at the point of need. That day 5th November was my birthday. So the money is birthday gift to me,” she said.

While expressing appreciation to the Federal Government, Godwin appealed for the programme to be sustained for a longer period.

“They should please help us with support relief fund. If is possible for them to make it a monthly plan for a year,” she said.

Retiree says ₦50,000 made little difference

For another beneficiary, a retiree identified by the pseudonym Akinjobe Brenda, the intervention provided some additional financial support but did not significantly change her financial circumstances.

Brenda said she received the notification through an SMS on her phone and was able to complete the process with assistance from her daughter.

“I got the message on my phone. Yes, the process was a bit quick. All thanks to my daughter,” she said.

She disclosed that she used part of the money to settle some bills and purchase food items, although she did not consider the amount substantial enough to make a significant difference to her household.

According to her, the money came as additional financial support rather than an intervention that addressed an urgent financial crisis.

“The money came as a plus,” she said.

Asked whether the grant had helped her meet essential needs, Brenda explained that it only provided some assistance with purchasing food ingredients.

“Not necessarily. It only helped in getting a few food ingredients,” she said.

She also expressed reservations about the scale of the intervention, arguing that more Nigerians should be included in the programme.

“They should work on making every Nigerians benefit from this and the money doesn’t really feel like a big deal,” she said.

Although uncertain about whether the programme should continue in its current form, Brenda indicated that she might welcome its continuation.

Another recipient, Oguntuase Olaoluwa Joshua, said he was surprised and happy when he discovered that he had been selected for the intervention.

Joshua, who received the money through the MoMo mobile application, described the payment process as straightforward.

He said he spent the money on groceries, provisions and toiletries, while using the remaining balance to purchase data.

“I used it to buy groceries,” he said, adding that the money had helped him provide some basic necessities at home.

Joshua, who disclosed that he was the only person in his household to benefit from the intervention, said the grant arrived at a time when he needed additional financial support.

Asked how much difference the money had made, he said the impact was limited by the amount involved.

“Just a little cause 50k it’s not a lot of money,” he said.

Despite this, he described the intervention as timely, noting that it had helped him take care of some immediate household needs.

“Yeah it came it at the right time,” he added.

Joshua also raised concerns about the selection process, saying several of his friends had not received the payment.

He urged the Federal Government to expand the programme to accommodate more vulnerable Nigerians.

“They should try and allow more people to benefit more from the intervention cause most of my friends did not get the money,” he said.

He, however, expressed support for the continuation of the programme.

Between relief and concerns over coverage

The experiences shared by the three beneficiaries reflect different perspectives on the Federal Government’s cash relief intervention.

While Godwin described the payment as a welcome birthday gift that helped reduce her household expenses, Brenda said the support made little difference to her financial situation. Joshua, on his part, acknowledged that the money helped him purchase basic necessities but argued that N50,000 was insufficient to bring about substantial financial relief.

Although the Federal Government has presented NERSI as a monthly intervention for vulnerable households, the selection process means that not everyone who needs the support will receive it in the initial phase.

For Godwin, the intervention should be extended for at least a year. Brenda believes the government should expand its coverage, while Joshua wants more Nigerians, including people within his immediate circle who were not selected, to benefit.

The Federal Government has also warned beneficiaries against fraudsters, cautioning them not to disclose their personal identification numbers or Bank Verification Numbers to unauthorised persons.

It advised anyone uncertain about messages concerning the intervention or asked to pay money to access the grant to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.

“If you are unsure about any message, or anyone asks you for money, call the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.”

While the accounts of the recipients offer a glimpse into the programme’s implementation, questions remain about the number of households reached, the criteria for selection and whether the proposed monthly payments will be sustained.

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