N50,000 grant: Tinubu’s government breaks silence on delayed SMS alerts

The Federal Government of Nigeria has explained why some Nigerians are yet to receive text message notifications concerning its N50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention.

In a clarification published on the programme's official website, the government said payments are being made in phases, with approved payment providers contacting beneficiaries in batches.

It explained that Nigerians who have not received SMS notifications should not immediately assume they have been excluded, as some selected beneficiaries may receive their messages later.

However, the government noted that the programme is designed to support a limited number of households at a time, meaning not everyone will benefit from the current round.

How to check eligibility Nigerians can check their selection status through the USSD codes provided by their respective payment service providers. Those who are not selected will receive a message stating: "You are currently not selected to receive this relief support."

The intervention, being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is intended to support households struggling with the rising cost of living.

Each selected beneficiary will receive N50,000 through a mobile wallet operated by one of five approved providers: ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.

According to the government, beneficiaries are selected from the National Social Register using verified national identity records. Selection is based on need and covers Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation. The government also clarified that individuals cannot personally apply to be added to the beneficiary list.

Government warns against fraud The Federal Government has warned Nigerians against fraudsters demanding money in exchange for promises to secure a place on the beneficiary list or speed up payments.

It advised beneficiaries never to disclose their PINs, one-time passwords (OTPs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone.

The government further stated that accepting the grant and responding to official programme messages are completely free.

Beneficiaries must follow the USSD instructions contained in their official notification messages to accept the support before the money is credited to their mobile wallets.

It also confirmed that the N50,000 support is a grant and does not have to be repaid.