MTN subscribers selected for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 monthly relief programme can verify their eligibility and access the funds through the MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB) using a specific USSD code. This initiative, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), aims to assist vulnerable households in Nigeria facing rising living costs.
Beneficiaries are chosen based on verified national identity records and entries in the National Social Register. Notifications are sent through approved payment providers, including MoMo PSB, ALAT by Wema Bank, NairaGram, OPay, and Moniepoint.
Eligible MTN subscribers can use the USSD code *671*0# to check their eligibility or payment status. The process involves the following steps:
- Dial the USSD code: Subscribers should dial *6710# using their registered phone number and follow the prompts.
- Accept the offer: Upon receiving a notification confirming their selection, subscribers should follow the provided instructions to consent to the support.
- Respond to notifications: Beneficiaries who get a genuine MoMo notification requesting consent should follow the prompts to authorize payment.
- Open a MoMo account: If they do not have a MoMo wallet, beneficiaries can create one by dialing *671# or downloading the MoMo NG app.
- Access the funds: Once the ₦50,000 has been credited, beneficiaries can withdraw or transfer the money using the MoMo app, USSD service, or through authorized MoMo agents. They can also transfer the funds to their bank accounts.
The Federal Government has indicated that beneficiaries will receive SMS notifications from payment providers requesting consent before funds are transferred to their mobile wallets. Dr. Bernard Doro, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, noted that eligible beneficiaries would receive ₦50,000 monthly to support essential needs.
Beneficiaries will not be required to apply, pay fees, or register through agents to receive these funds. The ministry also cautioned the public against sharing personal identification numbers (PINs) and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) with unauthorized individuals. Furthermore, it was stated that selected individuals are being contacted in batches, and there is no guarantee that others excluded from the current selection will receive support in subsequent phases.
