N50,000 Grant: FG Releases Eligibility, Payment and Withdrawal Guidelines for Beneficiaries
N50,000 Grant: FG Releases Eligibility, Payment and Withdrawal Guidelines for Beneficiaries
The Federal Government has released guidelines to help beneficiaries of its N50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) confirm their eligibility, accept the grant and access their funds.
The intervention, managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is designed to provide financial support to vulnerable households amid rising living costs.
According to the programme’s frequently asked questions published on its official website, the grant is being disbursed to selected beneficiaries through five approved payment providers: ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
The government clarified that the N50,000 support is a grant, not a loan, and beneficiaries are not required to repay the money. It also assured recipients that the full amount would be credited to their wallets without deductions.
On eligibility, the government explained that beneficiaries were selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records based on their level of need.
It stressed that individuals cannot independently apply for the intervention or pay anyone to secure inclusion on the beneficiaries’ list.
The programme also noted that beneficiaries were drawn from across the six geopolitical zones, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, while payments would be made in phases.
Selected beneficiaries will receive text message notifications from their assigned payment providers, informing them of their eligibility and providing USSD codes to accept the offer.
The government said recipients must accept the offer by dialling the code contained in their notification before the N50,000 can be credited to their mobile wallets. A confirmation message will subsequently be sent.
It further clarified that beneficiaries do not need smartphones or internet access to receive the money, as the USSD services operate on basic mobile phones.
For withdrawals, recipients can transfer funds from their wallets to Point of Sale (POS) operators and collect cash. They can also transfer the money to personal or other bank accounts through their providers’ approved channels.
The approved withdrawal options include USSD codes, mobile applications, agents and designated bank branches, depending on the payment provider.
The government explained that beneficiaries could withdraw the entire amount or take only part of it, leaving the remaining balance in their wallets.
While receiving the grant, accepting the offer and responding to programme messages are free, POS operators may charge their usual withdrawal fees. Beneficiaries were therefore advised to confirm applicable charges before making withdrawals.
The government also addressed concerns about delayed notifications, explaining that payments were being processed in batches and that not all eligible individuals would receive messages simultaneously.
It advised those who had not received notifications to check their eligibility through their assigned payment providers’ USSD channels rather than assume they had been excluded.
On data protection, the programme assured beneficiaries that their personal information would be shared only with their respective payment providers for disbursement purposes, in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
The government, however, issued a strong warning against fraudsters seeking to exploit the intervention.
It cautioned beneficiaries against paying individuals who claim they can facilitate selection, accelerate payment or release funds, stressing that no official or payment agent would request their personal identification numbers (PINs), one-time passwords (OTPs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs).
The programme also warned against clicking suspicious links, downloading unfamiliar applications or forwarding WhatsApp messages promising access to the grant.
It emphasised that genuine notifications would originate only from the approved payment providers and would not contain links.
Beneficiaries who lose their phones or SIM cards were advised to contact their payment providers immediately and obtain replacement SIM cards bearing the same numbers to regain access to their wallets.
The government also published dedicated customer service contacts for the payment providers and a programme helpline, 0700-022-2222, for enquiries relating to the intervention.
The five approved payment providers are ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint. Beneficiaries were advised to conduct all transactions and enquiries through their assigned providers’ official channels.
By TimesNG