All You Need To Know As Tinubu Govt Begins N50,000 Cash Relief

The federal government has announced a new ₦50,000 cash relief intervention for poor and vulnerable households across the country to cushion the effects of rising food prices and the high cost of essential goods.

The intervention, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), was announced on Friday, October 30, 2026, by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro.

According to the minister, eligible beneficiaries will receive ₦50,000 monthly to help them meet essential needs and ease the burden of rising living costs.

The ministry said it was working with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure the secure and transparent disbursement of the funds.

Here is what Nigerians need to know about the programme.

The ₦50,000 Cash Relief Is Targeted At Poor And Vulnerable Households

The Federal Government said the intervention is designed to provide immediate financial support to poor and vulnerable Nigerians affected by rising food prices and the increasing cost of essential goods.

The programme is intended to help beneficiaries meet basic household needs and ease the pressure of rising living costs.

Beneficiaries Will Be Selected From Existing Social Registers

According to information published on the official NERSI website, beneficiaries will be selected from verified national identity records and the National Social Register before being screened to identify poor and vulnerable households.

The government said beneficiaries would be selected based on need, with payments to be made in phases.

Three Financial Service Providers Will Handle Disbursements

The Federal Government is working with three digital financial service providers to facilitate payments under the intervention.

They are ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB) and NairaGram.

The official NERSI website lists the following USSD codes for beneficiaries:

– ALAT by Wema Bank: *945*23#

– MoMo PSB: *671*0#

– NairaGram: *726*00#

The programme allows beneficiaries to access their funds through mobile wallets linked to their phone numbers and National Identification Numbers (NIN).

Beneficiaries can withdraw the money through banks or Point of Sale (POS) agents or spend it directly from their wallets. The website also states that people without smartphones or mobile data can access the service through USSD.

Beneficiaries Do Not Need To Apply Or Pay Registration Fees

The Federal Government has warned Nigerians against paying individuals or agents who claim they can secure a place on the beneficiary list.

According to the programme’s official website, there is no application process or registration fee for NERSI. Beneficiaries will be contacted directly through SMS from one of the approved payment providers when they are selected.

The message will request their consent before the funds are credited to their mobile wallets. Beneficiaries are expected to follow the instructions in the message to accept the payment.

For enquiries or complaints about the programme, the ministry provided the helpline 0700-022-2222.

Disbursement Will Be Made In Phases

Although the Federal Government announced the commencement of NERSI on October 30, 2026, it has not published a detailed timetable stating when each batch of beneficiaries will receive the money.

The government said payments would be made in phases, meaning beneficiaries would not necessarily receive their notifications at the same time.

FG Yet To Specify Duration Of ₦50,000 Relief Programme

The Federal Government has yet to announce how long the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention will run or when payments will end.

In his announcement, Doro said the programme would be reviewed regularly in response to changes in the cost of living, adding that beneficiaries would be notified directly before any adjustments were made. However, the minister did not state a specific duration for the intervention.

Nigeria Introduced Its National Cash Transfer Programme In 2016

The new intervention is not Nigeria’s first attempt to provide direct financial assistance to poor and vulnerable households.

In 2016, the Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, launched the National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP) to strengthen the country’s social protection system and provide targeted assistance to poor households.

The project included the National Cash Transfer Programme, which provided financial support to eligible poor and vulnerable households identified through the National Social Register.