N50,000 cash grant: FG lists 3 things Nigerians must check to avoid scammers

• The Federal Government's NERSI programme pays ₦50,000 into the mobile wallets of selected beneficiaries with no deductions
• Only messages from five approved mobile platforms count as legitimate NERSI notifications under the scheme
• The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction warned that genuine messages never ask for money, PINs, or OTPs

The Federal Government has warned Nigerians to verify any message claiming to offer a ₦50,000 relief payment under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) programme, as fraudulent communications continue to circulate.

According to the official NERSI website, the programme is managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and was set up to help households manage the rising cost of living. Under the scheme, selected beneficiaries receive ₦50,000 paid directly into a mobile wallet, with no deductions from the full amount.

How to spot a genuine NERSI message

The government outlined three checks every recipient should carry out before responding to any notification. First, the message must come from one of five approved platforms: ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay, or Moniepoint. Second, the message should only ask the recipient to reply "YES" or dial their mobile provider's code. Third, and critically, no legitimate NERSI message will ever ask for money, a PIN, a one-time password (OTP), or require the recipient to click any link.

If a message fails even one of these checks, the government advised recipients not to reply under any circumstances and to call the relevant helpline to confirm the communication before taking any action.

What NERSI covers

The ₦50,000 payment is intended as direct financial support to qualifying households struggling with everyday living costs. The ministry confirmed that the entire sum reaches the beneficiary's wallet intact, meaning no service charge or administrative fee is taken from the relief amount.

The government's guidance comes as scammers increasingly impersonate official relief schemes to extract money or personal information from vulnerable Nigerians. Residents are encouraged to treat unsolicited messages about government payments with caution and to rely solely on verified channels before engaging with any such notification.

List of platforms and USSD codes to access FG’s N50,000 grant

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians seeking to benefit from the federal government’s ₦50,000 relief grant can check their eligibility and access the funds through five designated digital financial service providers, using USSD codes and mobile banking platforms.

Beneficiaries can use these provider-specific codes to check their status or follow instructions relating to the grant.

These codes are intended to provide access to information about the intervention through the respective financial service providers. However, checking eligibility does not automatically guarantee payment, as disbursement depends on beneficiary selection and verification.