FG begins N50,000 monthly cash payment to vulnerable Nigerians – Official

The Federal Government has launched a new monthly cash relief programme aimed at providing N50,000 to vulnerable households in response to rising living costs. Dr Bernard Doro, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, announced the initiative called the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) during a statement in Abuja.

Doro explained that NERSI was a presidential initiative designed to offer immediate financial assistance to millions of Nigerians struggling with the impact of global food inflation and increasing costs of essential goods. Under the programme, eligible beneficiaries will receive N50,000 each month to help meet their essential needs and ease the burden of living costs.

The minister emphasized that beneficiaries would not need to apply, pay any fees, or register through agents to access the intervention. He assured Nigerians that they would receive text messages from licensed digital financial service providers requesting their consent before funds were transferred to their bank accounts or mobile wallets.

To ensure secure and transparent delivery of the funds, Doro advised beneficiaries to avoid disclosing their personal identification numbers (PINs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone. If they had any doubts about a message or concerns about fraudsters, he encouraged them to contact the official NERSI helpline at 0700-022-2222.

Doro stressed that NERSI would complement existing Federal Government social protection and economic support programmes, while promoting household resilience and economic stability. He also highlighted that the intervention aligned with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and reinforced the ministry's commitment to delivering the programme with dignity, transparency, and accountability.