Not Selected For FG’s ₦50,000 Grant? Here’s What Nigerians Need To Know

MTN subscribers who want to confirm whether they have been selected for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 monthly financial assistance can now check their eligibility through a dedicated USSD code provided by MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB).

According to Bush Radio Academy, the service allows subscribers to verify their beneficiary status and, where selected, give the required consent for the payment to be processed under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).

MTN customers can access the service by dialling 6710# from the phone number linked to their records. They are expected to follow the instructions displayed on their screens to determine whether they qualify for the intervention.

Subscribers confirmed as beneficiaries may be required to approve the payment before the funds are transferred to their MoMo wallets. Those without a MoMo wallet can create one by dialling *671# or downloading the official MoMo NG application.

Once the money is credited, recipients can withdraw or access their funds through the MoMo application, the USSD service or authorised MoMo agents. They also have the option of transferring the money to their bank accounts.

The Federal Government has explained that selected beneficiaries will be contacted directly by their approved payment providers. In an announcement issued on October 30, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, said beneficiaries would receive text messages requesting their consent before payments are made.

Doro explained that the intervention would provide eligible Nigerians with ₦50,000 monthly to help them meet essential needs and cope with the rising cost of living.

He stated that beneficiaries would receive genuine SMS notifications from approved payment providers, adding that payments would be made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets after consent had been granted.

The approved payment platforms include MoMo PSB, ALAT by Wema, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint. According to information on the NERSI portal, beneficiaries are identified through verified national identity records and the National Social Register.

The government has also clarified that Nigerians do not need to submit separate applications, pay fees or register through intermediaries to access the assistance.

Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria has warned subscribers about fraudulent messages circulating online and falsely claiming to offer guaranteed access to the relief funds.

One of the misleading messages reportedly instructs customers whose eligibility status shows “NOT ELIGIBLE” to send “YES” to an unofficial code, claiming that doing so would guarantee payment within 24 hours.

MTN Nigeria Support has denied issuing the instruction and urged subscribers to disregard the message. The telecommunications company also warned customers against clicking unverified links or sharing sensitive information, including one-time passwords, PINs and passwords, or making payments based on suspicious claims.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has similarly cautioned Nigerians against disclosing their banking PINs and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to individuals claiming they can facilitate access to the assistance.

On whether people currently marked “NOT SELECTED” could still benefit, the NERSI portal explained that the distribution is being carried out in phases, with beneficiaries contacted at different stages of the exercise.

Consequently, receiving a “NOT SELECTED” notification at this stage does not necessarily mean that an individual has been permanently excluded. However, the government has not guaranteed that everyone left out of the current batch will automatically qualify for a subsequent payment.

The intervention is free, and Nigerians have been advised to rely only on official notifications and approved payment channels for accurate information.

Those seeking further clarification can contact the NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 or reach MoMo PSB customer support by dialling 671.