The Nigerian government has launched a cash transfer scheme providing ₦50,000 ($31) in monthly relief to vulnerable households to ease the burden of soaring food prices and living costs across Africa’s most populous nation.
The initiative, rolled out under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention, was formally unveiled by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro.
“Under this intervention, eligible beneficiaries will receive ₦50,000 monthly, providing direct assistance to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs,” Dr. Doro said in a statement released on Tuesday. “The scheme will be reviewed regularly in response to changes in the cost of living.”
Digital payments and scam warnings
To ensure security and minimize administrative leaks, the ministry has partnered with licensed digital payment operators and mobile money platforms—including OPay, Moniepoint, ALAT, MoMo PSB, and NairaGram—to deposit the funds directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts or mobile wallets.
Citizens selected for the program will receive a verification prompt via text message from the official payment partners to confirm their details.
The government emphasized that the selection process is automated, warning citizens against paying third-party agents or sharing private banking details.
“Beneficiaries are not required to apply, pay any fee, or register through an agent,” Dr. Doro warned, urging the public to report suspicious requests or fraudulent intermediaries to an official government helpline.
Broader economic relief strategy
Organizers of the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalisation Programme, an associated implementation body, confirmed that disbursements are currently underway, with unselected eligible candidates set to be processed in subsequent tranches.
The emergency cash injection forms part of broader presidential measures aimed at providing targeted social safety nets as Nigeria navigates structural economic reforms, foreign exchange shifts, and persistent inflationary pressures affecting household food security.
Add Comment