The Federal Government has removed the words “one-off support” from the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) webpage after the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reported a discrepancy over the ₦50,000 payment’s frequency.
Humanitarian Affairs Minister Bernard Doro announced on October 30 that eligible vulnerable households would receive ₦50,000 monthly. The current official NERSI webpage says selected beneficiaries receive ₦50,000, but does not state whether the payment will recur. FIJ reported on November 5 that the ministry had removed “one-off” from the FAQ after its report highlighted the conflicting descriptions.
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Key Highlights
- The FG removed “one-off support” from the NERSI webpage FAQ.
- Minister Bernard Doro had announced ₦50,000 monthly payments to eligible vulnerable households.
- The current ministry webpage says beneficiaries receive ₦50,000 but does not confirm a recurring schedule.
- FIJ reported the discrepancy between the minister’s announcement and the earlier webpage wording.
- Payments are being distributed in phases, and beneficiaries are selected from existing government records.
- The ministry warns Nigerians not to pay anyone to secure access to the grant.
FG removes “one-off” description from NERSI webpage
On October 30, 2026, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Minister Bernard Doro announced the launch of NERSI. He said eligible vulnerable households would receive ₦50,000 monthly to help them cope with rising food prices and the cost of living, with the amount subject to periodic review and beneficiaries to be notified before any adjustment.
However, the ministry’s dedicated NERSI webpage and FAQ initially described the payment as a “one-off support” of ₦50,000 paid into a mobile wallet. FIJ reported on the difference between that wording and Doro’s monthly-payment announcement.
By November 5, the FAQ had been changed to say selected beneficiaries would receive “support of ₦50,000 into a mobile wallet,” removing “one-off” without explaining whether the payment is recurring. The current wording therefore leaves the payment frequency unclear.
Why some Nigerians have not received NERSI payment SMS
The ministry says payments are being distributed in phases, with approved payment providers contacting beneficiaries in batches across the country’s six geopolitical zones. A later SMS does not necessarily mean a person has been excluded.
The ministry’s FAQ says payments are processed in phases and that not everyone is selected during the current phase because the programme is designed to support a limited number of households at a time.
How Nigerians are selected for the ₦50,000 NERSI grant
According to the ministry, beneficiaries are identified through the National Social Register and verified national identity records. Members of the public do not need to submit an application.
The government says nobody can pay, lobby or use personal connections to secure a place on the beneficiary list. Selected beneficiaries may receive an SMS from one of five approved payment providers: ALAT (Wema Bank), MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay or Moniepoint.
Beneficiaries should follow the instructions in a genuine provider message to give consent before funds are credited to the mobile wallet linked to their phone number and identity records. The ministry says the payment is a grant, not a loan, and beneficiaries are not expected to repay it or face deductions.
FG warns Nigerians against NERSI grant scams
The Federal Government has cautioned Nigerians against fraudsters claiming they can facilitate registration, guarantee selection or accelerate payment in exchange for money. The ministry says there is no official application fee and selection is made through existing government records.
For enquiries and complaints about the intervention, the official NERSI helpline is 0700-022-2222. Nigerians should use official channels and avoid paying anyone who claims to secure a grant.
Questions remain over monthly ₦50,000 payment
Doro announced that eligible households would receive ₦50,000 monthly, but the ministry’s revised webpage does not explicitly confirm that the payment will recur. Removing “one-off” has therefore not resolved the conflicting information.
The ministry has yet to clarify whether the ₦50,000 support is a monthly entitlement or a limited payment. Nigerians awaiting relief payments will be looking to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction for a clear explanation.
Read also:
- NERSI Grant: How to Get FG’s ₦50,000 Relief, USSD Codes and Who Qualifies
- FG Launches ₦50,000 NERSI Cash Relief for Vulnerable Households
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