Under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), selected households will receive ₦50,000 grant each.
Picture a market woman in Lagos. Her rent has gone up, and so has the price of rice and a bag of garri. Then one morning her phone beeps with a message from a payment provider. It says she has been selected for a cash grant.
That is how the Federal Government wants the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) to reach families. The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction runs the programme. It will send ₦50,000 straight into the mobile wallets of selected households that are struggling with rising living costs. 
How the Government Picks Households
Officials say they do not choose names by chance. They use verified national identity records and the National Social Register to decide who qualifies.
Why the Money Goes Into Mobile Wallets
The ministry says wallets move money fast and keep the process open to public view. Independent checkers also inspect every payment cycle.
Five providers will handle the payments: ALAT, MoMo, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
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Step One: The SMS Arrives
First, a text message lands on your phone. One of the five providers sends it to tell you the programme has selected you.
Step Two: Say YES
Next, you reply YES to that message. This shows you agree to join. The guidelines state that the government will not pay anyone who has not given consent.
Step Three: Your Wallet Opens
After you confirm, the provider opens a mobile wallet for you. It ties the wallet to your phone number and your National Identification Number (NIN).
Step Four: The Money Comes In
Then the provider credits ₦50,000 to your wallet. You can spend it straight from the wallet. You can also collect cash from a Point of Sale (POS) agent or withdraw it at a bank.
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USSD Codes for Withdrawals
Once the money lands, your provider will text you more instructions. The government has also listed a withdrawal code for each one:
- ALAT (Wema Bank): dial 94523#
- MoMo PSB: dial 6710#
- NairaGram: dial 72600#
- OPay: dial 95520#, or use the app
- Moniepoint: dial 557327#, or use the app
What to Remember
Wait for the official SMS, and reply only if one of these five providers sends it. The government says it selects people itself, so no one needs to pay anyone to join the list.
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