The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction made this clear in a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Janet Mcdickson Noah, on Friday while responding to public questions about which Nigerians qualify for the financial support.
The ministry stated that geographical coverage spans the South-West states of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti; the South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo; and the South-South states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers.
Also included are the North-Central states of Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau, alongside the FCT; the North-East states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe; and the North-West states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
The government explained that Nigerians picked for its N50,000 relief grant can confirm their names, accept the money, and withdraw the funds.
The government warned beneficiaries to beware of fraudsters who are already trying to use the programme to steal from people.
The programme, National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention, NERSI, is run by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and is aimed at helping households struggling with the rising cost of living.
According to the government, each selected person will get N50,000, stressing that the funds are a grant and not a loan.
The government further stated that the full amount will be paid, with no deductions.
It said beneficiaries were picked from the National Social Register and from verified national identity records, noting that the selection was based on need, and it was spread across the six geopolitical zones, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political party.
The government asserted that payments will be made in phases, saying not everyone will get a notification at the same time.
“If you have not received a message yet, it does not mean you have been left out. Your phone number was taken from the same records used for the selection. Your personal information is protected under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
“No official will ask you for your PIN, OTP, or BVN. Anyone who asks for those details is not from the programme,” the statement said.
It said that beneficiaries will receive a text message from one of the five approved payment providers: ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint, adding that the message will reveal which one is selected, and it will include a USSD code to dial to accept the grant.
“You can also dial your provider’s USSD code yourself and select the option to check your eligibility. Genuine messages will come only from the official sender names of the approved providers,” it stated.
The Federal Government urged beneficiaries to dial the USSD code in the notification and follow the instructions to receive the money.
It explained that the process will open a mobile wallet, after which the N50,000 will be credited.
“You will not receive the money until you accept the offer. Accept as soon as possible. Your provider will send reminders.
“If you mistakenly select No, you can dial the code again and choose Yes. If you leave it on No, you will not be paid.
“You do not need a smartphone or internet access. A basic phone is enough, because the USSD codes work without internet. Customers of MoMo PSB, OPay and Moniepoint can also use their providers’ official apps to access their wallets,” the government said.
The government said beneficiaries can withdraw the money through a Point-of-Sale, POS, agent by transferring funds from the mobile wallet to the agent.
“You can withdraw the full amount, or take part of it and leave the balance in your wallet. You can also transfer the money to any bank account or to another person’s account through USSD or the app.
“Accepting the grant, receiving the money and replying to programme messages are free. Do not pay anyone to access the programme or to secure a place on the list,” it added.