By INFOMEDIANG SOLUTIONS 
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction began the disbursement of N50,000 relief fund to Nigerians a few days ago under its programme called NERSI.
Table of Contents
What is NERSI?
NERSI means National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), a financial relief programme designed to support needy Nigerians with N50K as inflation bites harder. Better still, NERSI is meant to support to support vulnerable Nigerian households facing rising costs of living.
How to access the money
- You will receive an SMS that you have been selected to get the N50K relief support
- Read the instructions provided by the payment provider
- Reply “YES” or dial the provider’s designated USSD code
- Give consent and accept the support.
The USSD codes of the partner FinTech banks are:
- ALAT by Wema Bank 94523#
- MoMo PSB 6710#
- NairaGram 72600#
- OPay 95520#
- Moniepoint 557327#
Once consent is given, the N50K relief fund will be credited directly to the beneficiary’s mobile wallet.
Note: Carefully read the instructions sent to you by the partner FinTech bank. If you cannot read, kindly look for a trusted person to read and interpret the instructions to you and the process of withdrawing the cash.
Thousands of Nigerians have testified after receiving the funds in their bank accounts, while others are asking: how will I know if I am eligible for the relief fund? Here, we cover pertinent questions Nigerians are asking, and answers are provided.
Who is eligible for the FG N50,000 support?
Beneficiaries for the NERSI N50K support are selected based on poverty and vulnerability criteria as specified in the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
Where is the application portal?
There is no application portal for selection. No application or registration is needed to receive the N50K support. Selection is automatic. Furthermore, there is no agent for registration. Similarly, you don’t need to belong to a specific political party to qualify for the relief fund. Selection is based on poverty and vulnerability criteria. Also, selection covers all six geopolitical zones.
How will I know if I have been selected?
You will receive an SMS if you have been selected to get the relief fund from the partner financial institutions such as ALAT (by Wema Bank), OPay, MoniePoint, Momo PSB, and NairaGram.
However, to check your eligibility, you can dial the dedicated USSD code for each of the partner banks as listed above. Credit alert SMS from the partner bank will guide you through the process of how to accept the support and withdraw the cash.
How much will beneficiaries receive?
Each beneficiary will receive ₦50,000 as relief support.
Is it a loan?
No. It is not a loan. It is a grant and doesn’t require repayment.
Do I need an internet-enabled phone to access the fund?
You do not need a smartphone or internet connection to access the fund. The USSD codes work on every category of phone irrespective of phone sophistication.
Do I need to pay a fee to be selected for the NERSI support?
No. You will be selected automatically. So, you don’t need to bribe or tip anyone for you to benefit.
But different links are being circulated on WhatsApp for the fund; are they real?
The links being circulated online are not genuine. There is no registration link or portal for beneficiaries to be selected. Any link you come across on WhatsApp, social media platforms or other messaging apps are 100% fake and a scam; avoid clicking on them because they will obtain your sensitive details dubiously and may you such against you. Don’t share your details online with anyone in the name of the N50K relief fund.
Precautions
1) Don’t give your phone to a completely strange person when you receive this message.
2) Don’t disclose your Personal Identification Number (PIN), One-Time Password (OTP) or Bank Verification Number (BVN) to anyone. Anyone demanding money in exchange for the grant is attempting to commit fraud.
Speaking on the grant, a statement signed by Kingsley O. Onuoha of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction promised that “The Ministry will be transparent and accountable” in the disbursement process.
Azeez Ope Quadri