The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has clarified the selection process for beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), a programme designed to provide support to vulnerable households affected by rising living costs.
The Ministry said the clarification was necessary to help Nigerians better understand the intervention and guard against misinformation and fraudulent activities.
In a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Janet Mcdickson Noah, the Ministry explained that beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records based on established poverty and vulnerability criteria.
According to the Ministry, the selection process covers all six geopolitical zones of the country and does not involve any application or registration process.
It also warned that no individual, agent or intermediary has the power to influence the selection of beneficiaries, urging members of the public to disregard anyone demanding money or personal information in exchange for inclusion in the programme.
Each selected beneficiary will receive ₦50,000, which the Ministry stressed is a relief grant and not a loan, meaning recipients are not required to repay the money.
The Ministry further disclosed that selected beneficiaries would receive SMS notifications through one of the authorised digital financial service providers.
It advised beneficiaries and members of the public to protect their financial information by not disclosing their Personal Identification Number (PIN), One-Time Password (OTP) or Bank Verification Number (BVN) to anyone.
For enquiries, complaints or further clarification concerning the intervention, the Ministry directed Nigerians to use the official NERSI helpline: 0700-022-2222.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the intervention is implemented with transparency, accountability and dignity, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
