Nigerians awaiting the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief grant have been advised to pay attention to text messages from authorised financial service providers, as different notifications may indicate different stages of the payment process.
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), introduced to support vulnerable households facing rising living costs, uses digital payment platforms to communicate with selected beneficiaries and distribute funds.
However, receiving a text message does not necessarily mean the money has been credited to a beneficiary’s account.
According to a November 11 report by Legit.ng, Nigerians may encounter three categories of notifications relating to selection, consent and payment-batch status.
The Federal Government’s official NERSI guidelines also explain how beneficiaries can identify genuine notifications and access their grants.
1. SMS confirming selection for the ₦50,000 grant
The first category is a selection notification informing a beneficiary that they have been chosen for the relief programme.
According to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, selected Nigerians will receive SMS messages from authorised digital financial service providers.
The notification will contain instructions on how to accept the financial assistance.
It may identify the NERSI programme and the ₦50,000 amount.
However, beneficiaries should verify the sender and instructions before responding.
Receiving a selection message is an important step, but it should not be confused with confirmation that the money has already entered the recipient’s wallet.
2. SMS requesting consent before payment
Another category involves instructions for beneficiaries to confirm their willingness to receive the grant.
The Federal Government explains that selected Nigerians may be required to reply YES to a notification or use the USSD service provided by their designated financial institution.
This consent process allows the payment provider to proceed with the relevant arrangements.
According to the ministry, the ₦50,000 is credited directly to the beneficiary’s mobile wallet after consent is given.
However, recipients should still confirm the actual credit through their payment provider.
Replying YES does not, by itself, prove that payment has been completed.
3. SMS or status response showing eligibility for a payment batch
The third category relates to eligibility or payment-batch status.
According to Legit.ng, some Nigerians checking their status may receive information indicating that they have not been selected in the current payment batch.
Such a response should not automatically be interpreted as permanent disqualification.
However, it also does not guarantee that the individual will be selected in a subsequent batch.
The Federal Government says beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records using poverty and vulnerability criteria.
There is no public application process, and not everyone who meets general vulnerability criteria is necessarily selected.
Importantly, the ministry’s official FAQ does not establish a standard three-message sequence that every beneficiary must receive.
Five authorised payment providers for FG’s ₦50,000 grant
The Federal Government has identified five digital financial service providers responsible for facilitating NERSI payments.
| Payment provider | Official USSD code |
|---|---|
| ALAT by Wema Bank | *945*23# |
| MoMo PSB | *671*0# |
| NairaGram | *726*00# |
| OPay | *955*20# |
| Moniepoint | *557*327# |
Beneficiaries should follow the instructions issued by their designated provider rather than dial codes supplied through unverified messages.
The ministry says the USSD services can be accessed without a smartphone or internet connection.
How to know if the ₦50,000 has been paid
Beneficiaries should distinguish between being selected, giving consent and receiving the money.
A selection notification indicates that the individual has been identified for support.
A consent request allows the beneficiary to accept the grant.
Successful payment, however, means that the ₦50,000 has actually been credited to the designated mobile wallet.
Recipients should check their wallet balance or transaction history through their authorised provider.
Where a beneficiary has completed the consent process but cannot confirm payment, the appropriate step is to contact the provider through its verified customer service channels.
What if you have not received any SMS?
The absence of a notification does not necessarily mean that a person has been permanently excluded from the programme.
However, the Federal Government has not guaranteed that everyone who has yet to receive a message will eventually be selected.
The ministry says selection is automated and based on existing social and identity records.
Consequently, Nigerians should avoid websites or individuals claiming they can add names to the beneficiary list.
There is no official public registration form for NERSI.
FG warns against fake ₦50,000 grant messages
The government has warned that fraudsters may attempt to exploit the intervention by sending fake payment notifications.
According to the ministry, beneficiaries are not required to pay registration, processing or facilitation fees.
They should also avoid messages requesting their banking PINs, Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), one-time passwords or other confidential financial information.
The government says genuine notifications will come from authorised payment providers and will not require beneficiaries to click registration links.
Anyone demanding money to facilitate inclusion or accelerate payment should be treated with suspicion.
For enquiries or complaints, Nigerians can contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.
Ultimately, Nigerians awaiting the ₦50,000 relief should understand that selection, consent and successful disbursement are different stages. A notification may require action, but only a confirmed wallet credit establishes that payment has been received.