The Federal Government has announced a new monthly cash relief programme that will provide N50,000 directly to selected vulnerable households across Nigeria to help cushion the effects of rising food prices and the increasing cost of living.
The initiative, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), is designed to provide immediate financial assistance to low-income families struggling with economic hardship.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, announced the programme in a statement issued on Friday, October 30, 2026, in Abuja.
According to the minister, NERSI is a presidential initiative aimed at strengthening household resilience and providing financial support to millions of Nigerians affected by global food inflation and rising prices of essential commodities.
Doro explained that eligible beneficiaries would receive N50,000 every month to help them meet their basic needs.
“Under this intervention, eligible beneficiaries will receive N50,000 monthly, providing direct assistance to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs,” the minister said.
How FG’s N50,000 Monthly NERSI Payments Will Work
The Federal Government plans to work with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure that beneficiaries receive their payments securely and without unnecessary delays.
Doro explained that selected beneficiaries would receive text messages from the financial service providers requesting their consent before the funds are transferred into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
According to the minister, the consent process is intended to ensure that beneficiaries are aware of the transactions before payments are made.
He also disclosed that the government would periodically review the N50,000 monthly payment to reflect changes in the cost of living.
Beneficiaries would be informed ahead of time if the government decides to adjust the amount.
Nigerians Do Not Need to Apply for NERSI Benefits
The minister clarified that Nigerians do not need to complete an application form, pay registration fees or engage agents to access the NERSI programme.
This means that the government will identify eligible households rather than require interested Nigerians to register through unofficial channels.
Doro also warned Nigerians to be cautious of fraudsters who may attempt to exploit the programme by sending fake payment notifications or requesting personal banking information.
He urged anyone who receives a suspicious message or encounters someone demanding money in exchange for assistance to contact the official NERSI helpline.
The helpline is 0700-022-2222.
The minister further advised beneficiaries against disclosing their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone.
Nigerians should therefore avoid paying individuals who claim they can guarantee selection or speed up their payments.
NERSI to Complement Existing Federal Government Social Intervention Programmes
Doro explained that NERSI would complement existing federal government social protection initiatives rather than replace them.
According to him, the programme is intended to strengthen the financial resilience of vulnerable households while supporting broader economic stability.
The minister also linked the intervention to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as part of the government’s efforts to provide relief to Nigerians facing economic difficulties.
He assured citizens that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction would implement the programme with transparency, accountability and respect for beneficiaries.
Who Is Eligible for the N50,000 Monthly Cash Support?
Although the Federal Government has announced the monthly payment amount and explained how the transfers will work, some important details about the programme remain unclear.
The ministry has not yet disclosed:
- The specific eligibility criteria for selecting beneficiaries.
- The total number of households expected to receive the monthly payments.
- The date the first batch of N50,000 transfers will be completed.
- The detailed process the government will use to identify selected households.
Consequently, Nigerians should wait for further official announcements before assuming they qualify for the intervention.
The government has also advised citizens not to pay registration or processing fees to anyone claiming to facilitate access to the programme.
FG’s Other Empowerment Initiatives: MarketMoni and TraderMoni
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is also pursuing other financial empowerment initiatives targeted at small business owners, market women, traders and artisans.
Earlier reports indicated that the government was preparing to provide zero-interest loans of up to N100,000 through programmes such as MarketMoni and TraderMoni.
MarketMoni is designed to support market women with interest-free loans to increase their working capital, restock goods and expand their businesses.
The programme is expected to offer beneficiaries several benefits, including:
- Interest-free loans.
- No collateral requirements.
- A three-month repayment moratorium.
- Coverage across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Unlike NERSI, which provides direct monthly financial assistance to selected vulnerable households, MarketMoni and TraderMoni focus on providing financial support to small-scale businesses.
Both initiatives reflect the government’s broader approach to addressing poverty, improving livelihoods and supporting economically vulnerable Nigerians.