Payments go out in phases’ — FG explains delays in N50,000 relief grant notifications
The federal government says payments under the N50,000 relief grant are being made in phases, with beneficiaries contacted in batches.
The government said failure to receive a notification did not necessarily mean an individual has been excluded from the national emergency relief and stabilisation intervention.
According to the programme’s frequently asked questions (FAQs) published on its website, payment providers are contacting selected beneficiaries in batches, meaning that some may receive their messages later than others.
“Payments go out in phases. Providers contact beneficiaries in batches, so your SMS may simply not have arrived yet,” the website said.
The government, however, said not everyone would be selected in the current phase, as the intervention was designed to support a limited number of households at a time.
It advised Nigerians seeking to confirm their eligibility to dial their payment provider’s USSD code and select the option to check their status.
Those who are not on the beneficiary list would receive a notification stating: “You are currently not selected to receive this relief support.”
The government also warned Nigerians against individuals demanding money to secure a place on the list or speed up grant payments.
“No one can add you to the list or speed up your payment. Anyone who offers to do so for a fee is a fraudster,” the FAQ stated.
The intervention is being implemented by the federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction to help households cope with rising living costs.
Under the programme, selected beneficiaries receive N50,000 each through mobile wallets operated by five approved payment providers: ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
The government said beneficiaries are selected from the national social register and verified national identity records, adding that individuals could not apply or arrange to be included on the list.
It said selection was based on need, with beneficiaries drawn from the six geopolitical zones irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.
Those selected are notified through text messages from their respective payment providers, with instructions on how to accept the grant.
Recipients are required to accept the offer through the USSD code contained in their messages before the money is credited to their mobile wallets.
The government also clarified that the N50,000 support is a grant, not a loan, and beneficiaries are not required to repay it.
It said accepting the offer, receiving the money and responding to programme text messages are free.
The government further cautioned beneficiaries against sharing their personal identification numbers (PINs), one-time passwords (OTPs) or bank verification numbers (BVNs) with anyone claiming to facilitate their payments.
