The Federal Government has announced plans to commence monthly cash transfers of N50,000 to selected vulnerable households across the country under its National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, explaining that the intervention was designed to cushion the effects of rising living costs on poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

According to the minister, beneficiaries would receive text messages from designated telecommunications providers seeking their consent before payments are made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.

Doro assured Nigerians that the notification was genuine, stressing that payment would be made once beneficiaries granted the required consent.

He explained that NERSI was designed to complement existing Federal Government social protection and economic support programmes, while providing immediate relief and strengthening household resilience.

“We recognise the challenges many Nigerians are facing. The ministry is committed to delivering this intervention with dignity, transparency and accountability,” he said.

The minister warned beneficiaries against fraudsters, emphasising that participation in the programme does not require an application, payment of fees or registration through agents.

He also cautioned beneficiaries against disclosing their personal identification numbers (PINs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone.

Doro advised Nigerians who receive suspicious messages or are asked to make payments to access the intervention to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.

He added that the programme would be reviewed periodically to accommodate changes in the cost of living, with beneficiaries to be notified directly of any adjustments.

Information on the NERSI portal indicates that beneficiaries are selected through verified national identity records and the National Social Register, with the intervention targeting poor and vulnerable households.

The portal lists ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank and NairaGram as approved payment providers.

The programme is also being implemented in phases, meaning beneficiaries may receive their notifications at different times. Funds can be accessed through mobile wallets, transferred to bank accounts or withdrawn through agents, subject to applicable transaction charges.