FG N50,000 monthly relief: OPay explains how beneficiaries can check eligibility
By Mohammed Ismail
Popular digital financial services provider, OPay, has outlined how customers can ascertain their eligibility for the Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly cash assistance scheme for vulnerable Nigerians.
The company said beneficiaries selected for the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) would receive a pop-up notification on the homepage of their OPay mobile application, directing them to follow the necessary steps to access the relief payment.
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In a clarification published on its official X handle on Tuesday, OPay stressed that the absence of the notification on a customer’s application indicates that the individual has not been selected for the intervention.
The fintech company, however, emphasised that it was not responsible for determining beneficiaries, advising customers seeking further clarification to contact the NERSI support line on 0700-022-2222.
OPay also warned Nigerians against fraudsters seeking to exploit the government intervention, cautioning customers not to disclose their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or other sensitive financial details to anyone.
The company further warned against paying agents or clicking on suspicious links purportedly offering assistance with the registration or processing of the relief funds.
It advised customers to verify their eligibility exclusively through the official OPay application or by dialling its USSD code, *95520#.
The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the Federal Government’s newly introduced monthly cash assistance programme.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, had announced on October 30 the commencement of payments under NERSI, a presidential intervention designed to provide financial relief to economically vulnerable households.
Under the scheme, qualified beneficiaries are expected to receive N50,000 monthly to enable them to meet essential household needs and mitigate the effects of rising living costs.
Doro explained that the Federal Government was partnering with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure that the intervention reached beneficiaries through a transparent and secure payment arrangement.
According to him, selected beneficiaries would first receive text messages seeking their consent before the approved funds are transferred directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
The minister listed the participating financial service providers and their respective USSD codes as ALAT by Wema (*94523#), MoMo PSB (*6710#), NairaGram (*72600#), OPay (*95520#) and Moniepoint (*557327#).
He clarified that prospective beneficiaries were not required to submit applications, pay registration fees or engage intermediaries to access the programme.
The minister consequently urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against fraudsters and avoid sharing sensitive banking information, including their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), PINs and other security credentials with unauthorised persons.
He advised citizens who have concerns or receive suspicious messages concerning the intervention to contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 for verification.
The Federal Government says the initiative is part of its broader social protection efforts to cushion the economic hardship confronting vulnerable households across the country.
