How FG selects beneficiaries for N50,000 relief

The Federal Government has outlined the process for selecting beneficiaries for its N50,000 cash relief under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI). Beneficiaries are chosen from verified national identity records and the National Social Register (NSR), a database that contains information on over 70 million individuals.

The NSR is maintained by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), which identifies poor and vulnerable households through a multi-step process involving local government area assessments and community-level identification. To be eligible for the relief, Nigerians must have their National Identification Number (NIN) and be registered in both the NIMC and NSR databases.

Enrollment in both systems is a prerequisite for inclusion in the N50,000 cash relief program. The government does not disclose specific screening criteria for determining relief recipients, stating that Nigerians cannot apply or pay to be included in the beneficiary list. Payments are made through mobile wallets and are distributed in phases, ensuring that beneficiaries are not contacted simultaneously.

The program is described as a shock-responsive cash transfer initiative for poor and vulnerable households across all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation. Nigerians can verify their selection through the approved providers by dialing their respective USSD codes.