Nigerians selected for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief grant who have accepted the offer but are yet to receive payment can take several steps to confirm their status and resolve possible transaction problems.
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) provides financial assistance to selected vulnerable households through authorised mobile money and banking platforms.
Under the programme, beneficiaries receive text messages informing them of their selection and requesting consent before payment.
However, some recipients may be uncertain about what to do after responding to the notification without seeing the money in their wallets.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has provided guidance on checking payment status, accessing mobile wallets and reporting difficulties.
What happens after you reply YES to the ₦50,000 grant SMS?
According to the Federal Government’s official NERSI guidelines, beneficiaries must give consent before receiving the grant.
The process begins when a selected individual receives a notification from an authorised financial service provider.
The beneficiary then follows the instructions in the message, which may involve replying YES or using a designated USSD code.
Once consent is successfully recorded, a mobile wallet linked to the beneficiary’s telephone number and National Identification Number (NIN) is opened, and the ₦50,000 is credited.
The payment provider subsequently sends a confirmation message.
However, replying YES alone should not be treated as proof that the money has arrived.
1. Check whether the ₦50,000 has entered your wallet
The first step is to confirm whether the payment has been credited.
According to the ministry, beneficiaries can check their balances through the designated payment providers.
The government has approved five platforms for the intervention.
| Payment provider | Official NERSI USSD code |
|---|---|
| ALAT by Wema Bank | *945*23# |
| MoMo PSB | *671*0# |
| NairaGram | *726*00# |
| OPay | *955*20# |
| Moniepoint | *5573*27# |
Beneficiaries should use the code associated with the provider that sent their genuine selection notification.
The government says the services can be accessed without a smartphone or internet connection.
Recipients may also use their provider’s official mobile application where supported.
2. Confirm that your consent was successfully recorded
If the money has not appeared, beneficiaries should check whether they completed the acceptance process.
The government explains that payment cannot proceed without the recipient’s consent.
A beneficiary who received a notification but did not complete the required steps may therefore need to revisit the instructions.
The official NERSI website says recipients can dial their designated provider’s USSD code and follow the prompts to accept the grant.
It also explains that individuals who mistakenly selected NO can return to the menu and choose YES.
Beneficiaries should avoid repeatedly submitting unfamiliar codes or following instructions from unofficial sources.
3. Check your network if the USSD code is not working
Some beneficiaries may experience difficulties accessing their mobile wallets through USSD.
The ministry advises users to check their network signals and try again.
If the code continues to fail, the beneficiary should contact the payment provider’s official customer support service.
A failed USSD session does not, by itself, establish that the beneficiary has lost the grant.
Recipients should confirm their account status before taking further action.
4. Contact your designated payment provider
Beneficiaries who have accepted the grant but cannot confirm payment should contact the financial institution responsible for their wallet.
The official NERSI website provides the following customer service contacts:
| Provider | Customer service number |
|---|---|
| ALAT by Wema Bank | 0803 900 3700 |
| MoMo PSB | 671 or 0803 106 7100 |
| NairaGram | 0201 330 0880 or 0201 330 0881 |
| OPay | 0700 888 8328 or 0201 888 8328 |
For Moniepoint, beneficiaries should obtain the current customer support contact through its verified official channels.
When contacting a provider, recipients should explain that they received a NERSI selection notification, completed the consent process and have not been able to confirm the credit.
They should never disclose their PINs or one-time passwords to anyone claiming to assist with payment.
5. Call the official NERSI helpline
Beneficiaries who cannot resolve their concerns through their payment providers can contact the programme’s official helpline.
NERSI helpline: 0700-022-2222
The number is published by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction for enquiries and complaints.
The ministry distinguishes between questions about individual wallets, which should be directed to the payment providers, and broader enquiries about the relief programme.
Beneficiaries should provide accurate information about the problem without sharing confidential financial credentials.
Does replying YES guarantee immediate payment?
The Federal Government’s published procedure states that payment follows successful consent and wallet activation.
However, the guidance does not establish a guaranteed number of minutes or hours within which every beneficiary must receive the money.
Consequently, beneficiaries should not assume that a delay automatically means their payment has been cancelled.
They should first verify their wallet balances and contact their designated providers.
The ministry also explains that NERSI payments are processed in phases, meaning selected Nigerians may be contacted at different times.
This distinction is important because someone who has not received a selection SMS is in a different position from someone who has accepted an offer but cannot confirm payment.
What if you lose the phone number linked to your grant?
The government says beneficiaries who lose their phones or SIM cards should contact their payment providers immediately to protect their wallets.
They should then approach their telecommunications operators for replacement SIM cards retaining the original telephone numbers.
According to the official guidance, money already credited remains in the beneficiary’s wallet.
Recipients should avoid allowing unauthorised individuals to access their mobile money accounts.
FG warns against paying agents to release the ₦50,000 grant
The ministry has warned that the NERSI programme is free and does not require beneficiaries to pay registration, processing or facilitation fees.
It says no government official, agent or third party can influence beneficiary selection or accelerate payment in exchange for money.
Genuine programme messages come from ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay or Moniepoint.
They do not require beneficiaries to click registration links or disclose their Bank Verification Numbers, PINs or one-time passwords.
Anyone claiming that a beneficiary must pay money to unlock the ₦50,000 grant should be treated with suspicion.
For Nigerians who have replied YES but have not received payment, the recommended approach is to check the designated wallet, verify consent, contact the payment provider and escalate unresolved issues through the official NERSI helpline.