Nigerians who receive messages confirming their selection for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief programme but cannot access their money have been advised to contact their designated financial service providers and report unresolved problems through official channels.
The advice follows complaints about delayed and inaccessible payments under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), introduced to support poor and vulnerable households facing economic hardship.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction says selected beneficiaries should receive SMS notifications explaining how to accept the grant.
After completing the required procedures, the ₦50,000 is expected to be credited to their designated mobile wallets.
However, reports have emerged of individuals who claim they received notifications or completed the acceptance process but were unable to access their funds.
The concerns have also attracted the attention of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which has asked the Federal Government to investigate complaints and improve transparency in the programme’s implementation.
Why some NERSI beneficiaries cannot withdraw ₦50,000
The ministry’s official guidance explains that beneficiaries must complete the required acceptance procedures before payment can be processed.
This means receiving an eligibility notification is not necessarily the same as receiving money in a mobile wallet.
A beneficiary may have been selected but may still need to provide consent or complete the payment provider’s required steps.
Technical difficulties can also arise during mobile wallet activation, USSD transactions or transfers.
For example, a person may receive a notification but experience a network problem while attempting to accept the grant.
Another recipient may complete the acceptance process but encounter difficulties accessing the wallet or transferring money to a bank account.
However, the ministry has not published a comprehensive breakdown identifying the causes of all reported NERSI payment failures.
Beneficiaries should therefore avoid assuming that every unsuccessful transaction has the same explanation.
What to check if your ₦50,000 payment has not arrived
Nigerians experiencing payment difficulties should first establish whether they have received an official eligibility notification or a separate confirmation that their wallets have been credited.
These are different stages of the process.
According to the ministry, selected beneficiaries receive instructions from their designated financial service providers.
The instructions may require them to reply YES or dial an approved USSD code to accept the support.
Those who have not completed the acceptance process should follow the instructions supplied by their providers.
Individuals who have already accepted the grant should check their wallet balances through the providers’ official applications or USSD services.
If the balance does not reflect the expected payment, they should contact the provider and request clarification.
Beneficiaries should retain relevant transaction references, notification dates and complaint details, while avoiding the public disclosure of sensitive financial information.
Five approved platforms Nigerians can contact over NERSI payment
The Federal Government has identified five authorised financial service providers responsible for delivering the relief support.
They are ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
According to the ministry, beneficiaries should follow the instructions issued by the provider assigned to them.
The government lists the following USSD codes for accessing programme services:
| Provider | NERSI USSD code |
|---|---|
| ALAT by Wema Bank | *945*23# |
| MoMo PSB | *671*0# |
| NairaGram | *726*00# |
| OPay | *955*20# |
| Moniepoint | *5573*27# |
The ministry says these services can be accessed without smartphones or internet subscriptions.
However, beneficiaries should use the designated provider’s official customer support channels when a problem cannot be resolved through the USSD menu.
Where to report failed NERSI payment or withdrawal
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has provided 0700-022-2222 as the official NERSI helpline.
According to its published clarification, the number can be used for enquiries and complaints about the programme.
Beneficiaries experiencing problems should first contact their payment providers, particularly where the issue concerns wallet access, transaction failures or account verification.
If the matter remains unresolved, they can contact the ministry’s programme helpline for further guidance.
When submitting a complaint, beneficiaries should explain the problem clearly and provide relevant transaction details through secure official channels.
They should not publish their NIN, BVN, PIN or one-time passwords on social media.
The ministry has warned that no official or payment agent should request confidential banking credentials to release the grant.
SERAP asks FG to investigate reported payment problems
In a Freedom of Information request dated November 7, 2026, SERAP called on the government to investigate complaints involving NERSI payments.
The organisation expressed concern about reports that some people received payment notifications but were unable to access or withdraw their money.
It also raised questions about the accuracy of beneficiary verification and the reliability of payment arrangements.
SERAP asked the ministry to disclose information about the programme’s administration, including agreements with financial service providers and mechanisms for resolving disputed payments.
The organisation argued that effective complaint procedures were necessary to ensure that eligible beneficiaries received the assistance intended for them.
However, the reported complaints do not establish the total number of unsuccessful payments or the proportion of affected beneficiaries.
Those figures would require verified information from the ministry and participating financial institutions.
Can Nigerians pay agents to release delayed NERSI grants?
The Federal Government has warned beneficiaries against paying individuals who promise to accelerate delayed payments.
According to the ministry, accepting and receiving the ₦50,000 grant are free, and no agent can influence beneficiary selection.
The government also cautioned against suspicious links and messages requesting banking information.
Beneficiaries should therefore reject demands for special processing charges, wallet activation fees or payments supposedly required to unlock the grant.
Normal transaction charges may apply when withdrawing cash through POS agents, but these are different from fees demanded to secure the government assistance.
For further information, Nigerians can consult the ministry’s official NERSI clarification.
As complaints continue, the key issue is whether payment providers and government authorities can identify affected beneficiaries, resolve verified problems and provide transparent information about disbursement outcomes.