The Federal Government has explained how poor and vulnerable Nigerians are identified for social intervention programmes, including the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), which provides selected households with a ₦50,000 grant.
The selection process is based on the National Social Register (NSR), a database of poor and vulnerable households coordinated by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
The register helps the government identify households that may need financial assistance and other forms of support.
The Federal Government announced the NERSI intervention on October 30, 2026, with Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Dr Bernard Doro, explaining that the initiative was designed to support vulnerable households struggling with rising living costs.
The ministry subsequently clarified that beneficiaries would be selected using the National Social Register and verified national identity records, based on established poverty and vulnerability criteria.
According to the ministry, the selection covers all six geopolitical zones, while beneficiary notifications and payments are being processed in phases. This means eligible households may not receive notifications at the same time.
How the National Social Register Identifies Poor and Vulnerable Households
The National Social Register is not a public database where individuals can simply enter their names to qualify for government assistance.
Instead, household identification involves trained officials, enumerators and community participation to identify families experiencing poverty and vulnerability.
NASSCO uses four major approaches to guide the identification and assessment process. These are geographic targeting, community ranking, community-based targeting and Proxy Means Testing (PMT).
1. Geographic Targeting
Geographic targeting helps identify locations where poverty and deprivation are more widespread.
States assess their local government areas using available poverty information and prioritise communities experiencing greater hardship.
This approach helps government agencies direct resources towards areas where vulnerable households are more likely to be found.
2. Community Ranking
Community ranking involves assessing communities based on their level of deprivation.
Factors such as access to roads, schools, healthcare facilities and clean water help determine which communities require greater attention.
Communities facing more serious challenges can receive priority during the household identification process.
3. Community-Based Targeting
Under community-based targeting, residents participate in identifying households considered poor or vulnerable.
Trained Community-Based Targeting Teams engage community members, while enumerators collect relevant information about the households identified.
This approach allows local knowledge to contribute to the identification process and helps ensure that vulnerable families are not overlooked.
4. Proxy Means Testing (PMT)
After household information is collected, it is assessed through Proxy Means Testing, a statistical method used to estimate a household’s economic welfare.
The assessment considers several factors, including housing conditions, household size, education and other living conditions.
An algorithm processes the information and estimates the household’s poverty level, allowing households to be ranked according to their welfare status.
Households are grouped into deciles, with the first decile representing the poorest households.
For some government interventions, households within the first to sixth deciles may be considered, depending on the specific programme’s eligibility requirements.
However, being included in the National Social Register does not automatically qualify a household for every government benefit.
The ranking only helps programme managers identify households that may qualify for particular interventions. Final selection depends on each programme’s eligibility criteria, verification requirements and available funding.
Why the National Social Register Matters
The National Social Register provides government agencies with information needed to identify vulnerable households and direct assistance towards people who need it most.
Without reliable household information, some families experiencing severe hardship could be overlooked, while limited intervention funds might not reach the most vulnerable communities.
The register also supports government planning in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture and humanitarian assistance.
However, each intervention programme has its own eligibility requirements. Therefore, registration in the NSR does not guarantee automatic access to every government support scheme.
How Nigerians Are Selected for the ₦50,000 NERSI Grant
For the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention, the Federal Government says beneficiaries are selected using information from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
The programme is not open to fresh individual applications. Nigerians do not need to visit a registration portal, submit their names online or pay anyone to become beneficiaries.
Instead, selected households are contacted through SMS notifications from approved payment providers.
The approved payment providers are:
- ALAT by Wema Bank
- MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB)
- NairaGram
- OPay
- Moniepoint
The notification explains the steps beneficiaries should follow to accept the financial support.
Beneficiaries must provide consent before the payment is processed.
The ministry has also clarified that the ₦50,000 assistance is a grant, not a loan. The full amount is expected to be credited without deductions.
Importantly, beneficiaries do not need a smartphone or internet connection to complete the relevant Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) steps. A basic mobile phone is sufficient.
Does Being on the National Social Register Guarantee the ₦50,000 Grant?
No. Inclusion in the National Social Register does not automatically guarantee payment under NERSI or any other government intervention.
The register serves as a database for identifying households that may qualify for assistance. Each programme determines its beneficiaries based on its own eligibility criteria and verification process.
For NERSI, the government uses the register alongside verified national identity records to identify selected households.
The ministry has also indicated that notifications and payments will take place in phases across the six geopolitical zones.
Consequently, the timing of an SMS notification may differ from one beneficiary to another.
Nigerians should be cautious of individuals or websites demanding money, bank details or other sensitive information in exchange for NERSI registration or guaranteed selection.
The government has not announced a fresh individual application portal for the ₦50,000 intervention.
What Nigerians Should Know About the NERSI Grant
The Federal Government’s ₦50,000 NERSI intervention is targeted at selected poor and vulnerable households identified through the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
The National Social Register uses geographic targeting, community ranking, community-based targeting and Proxy Means Testing to identify and assess households.
Although households in poorer deciles may be considered for certain interventions, registration alone does not guarantee selection.
Beneficiaries should wait for official SMS notifications from the approved payment providers and follow the instructions provided to accept the grant.
The ₦50,000 support is a grant rather than a loan, and beneficiaries are not required to pay a registration fee to receive it.