By Obah Sylva
Nigerians are being warned about fraudulent online grant offers falsely linked to Kwara politician and philanthropist Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki-Gambari and the Federal Government’s Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP). The messages promise payments of up to ₦50,000 and direct people to unofficial websites that may collect personal and financial information.
The Yahaya Seriki Foundation has disowned the purported youth grant, while the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and NFWP have issued an official warning about fake project grant links. For more guidance, read The Trumpet’s report on how fraudsters impersonate officials online.
Key Highlights
- A fake ₦50,000 youth grant is circulating in Yahaya Seriki’s name.
- The Yahaya Seriki Foundation says it has no connection with the offer and urges people not to use the suspicious links.
- FactCheckHub found that the purported grant portal was a phishing site.
- Separate fake NFWP links promise ₦50,000 monthly for 24 months.
- The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs says the NFWP portal named in the messages is not an authorised government platform.
- People should not share BVN, NIN, banking details, passwords or one-time passwords on unverified sites.
Fake ₦50,000 Yahaya Seriki youth grant circulates online
Messages shared on WhatsApp and social media claim that Yahaya Seriki is offering a ₦50,000 cash grant to young Nigerians through an online registration portal. The messages direct recipients to shortened links, including cut-ly.com, and may ask them to complete a form or forward the link to other people to qualify.
The Yahaya Seriki Foundation and the politician’s media team have described the scheme as false and unauthorised. In its public notice, the foundation urged people to ignore the offer, avoid suspicious links and not submit personal or financial details. It says authentic announcements are communicated through its recognised channels.
FactCheckHub’s review of the purported ₦50,000 grant also found the claim false and identified the linked portal as a phishing site designed to collect users’ information.
The false offer is separate from genuine empowerment activities associated with the foundation. Its recent announcement of a separate programme has increased public interest, which scammers may exploit by circulating fake registration links in the same name.
Student organisations, including the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee in Kwara State, have also raised concerns about the messages. They warned that scammers could be seeking National Identification Numbers (NIN), Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and bank account details.
Fake Nigeria for Women Project ₦50,000 grant links exposed
Separately, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up have warned about websites falsely claiming to offer financial assistance to women. The messages promise ₦50,000 a month for 24 months, or ₦1.2 million in total, through an unofficial portal.
The NFWP’s disclaimer says the website named in the messages is not an official government platform and is not authorised to represent the ministry or the project. The project says its official website, nfwp.gov.ng, is the recognised source for announcements, application information and updates.
Members of the public are advised not to open suspicious links, upload documents, share banking details or provide personal information through unverified websites. The project also says it does not charge application fees or use random social-media links to operate grant applications.
Project coordinators and state-level units have reinforced the warning. Similar fraudulent NFWP-related links have circulated before, prompting repeated notices to use only official project channels.
How fake grant scams target Nigerians
Fraudulent schemes commonly promise cash payments and create urgency by claiming that only a limited number of registration slots remain. Recipients are directed to unofficial websites, shortened URLs or online forms where they may be asked for personal details.
Information requested can include BVN, NIN, bank account details, phone numbers, email addresses and identity documents. Some scammers ask people to share a link with friends or social-media groups before they can supposedly receive payment. Others may later demand registration or processing fees, or seek passwords, PINs and one-time passwords that could put bank accounts at risk.
How to avoid fake grant and empowerment schemes
Check official channels. Confirm grant announcements on the organisation’s official website or verified social accounts. For federal programmes, look for information on recognised government channels, including official .gov.ng websites where applicable.
Do not trust unfamiliar or shortened links. Avoid clicking on URLs that do not belong to the organisation named in the offer. A shortened link can conceal the website it will open.
Protect financial and identity information. Do not enter BVN, NIN, bank details, passwords, PINs or OTPs on an unverified platform. No legitimate grant application should require you to disclose account security credentials.
Do not pay unverified fees. Be cautious of requests for registration, processing or activation payments before a promised grant is released.
Do not forward unverified offers. Check an announcement before sharing it with friends, relatives or online groups. Report suspected fraudulent accounts and delete suspicious messages.
Read also:
- Finance Ministry Warns New Staff Against Fake ₦50,000 Recruitment Fee Demand
- How to Spot a Fake OPay Transfer Alert (Merchant Safety Guide)
Foundation and NFWP urge public caution
The fake announcements exploit interest in genuine empowerment programmes and the names of public figures and government initiatives. The Yahaya Seriki Foundation and NFWP have urged Nigerians to ignore offers that cannot be verified through their official channels.
Anyone seeking financial support should confirm the source of an announcement before opening a registration link or submitting personal information. Sharing official warnings can also help prevent others from falling victim to online grant fraud.
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