Nigerian Government Addresses N50k Grant SMS Delays

The Nigerian government has clarified the reasons some citizens have not received SMS notifications regarding the N50,000 monthly relief grant under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI). The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, stated that the absence of a message does not indicate exclusion from the program.

Beneficiaries are being contacted in batches, and the selection process is based on poverty and vulnerability criteria using verified national identity records. The program targets a limited number of vulnerable households across all six geopolitical zones, without discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation.

Nigerians can check their eligibility through USSD codes provided by five approved digital financial service providers, including Wema Bank (NGX: WEMABANK), MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay, and Moniepoint. Those not selected may receive a message indicating their status, and the government has advised patience as notifications and payments continue in phases.