How FG selects Nigerians for ₦50,000 grant, other interventions

The Federal Government of Nigeria is utilizing the National Social Register to identify financially disadvantaged households for social intervention programs, such as the ₦50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention. This register, managed by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, holds data on households deemed poor and vulnerable, enabling government agencies to pinpoint potential beneficiaries and channel aid to those in dire need.

The registration of such households became crucial following the Federal Government's announcement of the NERSI program on October 30, 2026, under which beneficiaries stand to receive ₦50,000 in financial assistance. Dr. Bernard Doro, Nigeria's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, revealed that the grant was deliberately structured to alleviate the strain on vulnerable households amid the escalating cost of living.

The Minister clarified that the selection of beneficiaries is carried out using the National Social Register, verified national identity records, and criteria related to poverty and vulnerability. There is no provision for individuals to apply for the grant, with the Ministry warning against any attempts to engage agents to secure inclusion in the beneficiary list.

As per the National Social Register, identifying households involves a structured process that utilizes multiple targeting approaches, including geographic targeting, community ranking, community-based targeting, and Proxy Means Testing. Geographic targeting involves ranking local government areas based on poverty levels, with priority given to the most deprived regions.

Community ranking assesses communities based on the availability of basic amenities and infrastructure, helping to identify areas where households might be facing more significant hardship. Community-based targeting involves residents helping identify poor and vulnerable households within their communities, with residents participating in the process and trained teams collecting information about the identified households.

The information gathered is subsequently analyzed through Proxy Means Testing, a statistical method that uses household characteristics and living conditions to estimate welfare levels. The National Social Register is not merely a database where Nigerians enter their names to obtain government grants. Its compilation follows a structured process to identify households facing poverty and vulnerability.

The National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office explains that four major approaches are employed to identify households for inclusion in the register. These approaches include geographic targeting, community ranking, community-based targeting, and Proxy Means Testing. Geographic targeting prioritizes local government areas based on poverty levels, with a focus on the most deprived areas.

Community ranking assesses communities based on the availability of basic amenities and infrastructure, helping to identify areas where households may be experiencing greater hardship. Community-based targeting engages residents in identifying poor and vulnerable households within their communities, utilizing trained Community-Based Targeting Teams and enumerators to gather information about the identified households.

This information is then evaluated through Proxy Means Testing, a statistical method that estimates households' welfare levels based on household characteristics and living conditions.