N50,000 monthly relief: How poor Nigerians can benefit from FG’s NERSI cash transfer

The federal government has begun disbursing a N50,000 monthly cash relief to poor and vulnerable households under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), with beneficiaries picked from verified records and notified by SMS, with no application or fee required.

The federal government has started disbursing a N50,000 monthly cash relief to poor and vulnerable households, Daily Trust reports, leaving many Nigerians asking how to benefit.

The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), announced on October 30, 2026 by Humanitarian Affairs Minister Dr Bernard Doro, aims to cushion the effects of rising food prices and the high cost of essential goods.

Beneficiaries will be drawn from verified national identity records and the National Social Register, then screened for need, with payments made in phases. Payments run through three digital providers: ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo Payment Service Bank and NairaGram. Funds go to mobile wallets linked to phone numbers and NINs and can be withdrawn through banks or POS agents, or accessed by USSD.

There is no application process or registration fee, and the government warned Nigerians against paying anyone claiming they can secure a place on the list. Selected beneficiaries will receive an SMS requesting consent before payment.

No timetable for each batch, or end date for the programme, has been published.