The Federal Government has launched a monthly cash relief programme paying ₦50,000 to vulnerable households to cushion the impact of rising living costs.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Bernard Doro announced the scheme in a statement issued Friday in Abuja. He said the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) is a presidential initiative designed to provide immediate financial assistance to millions of vulnerable Nigerians, introduced in response to global food inflation and rising costs of essential goods that continue to pressure households.

“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,” Doro said.

The minister explained that the programme will be reviewed regularly in line with changes in the cost of living, with beneficiaries notified directly before any adjustment. The ministry is working with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure secure, prompt and transparent delivery of funds, and beneficiaries will receive text messages from the providers requesting their consent before payments are made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.

Doro stressed that beneficiaries are not required to apply, pay any fee, or register through agents to access the intervention. He warned Nigerians against fraudsters, advising beneficiaries not to disclose their personal identification numbers (PINs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone. “If you are unsure about any message, or anyone asks you for money, call the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222,” he said.

The minister said NERSI complements existing Federal Government social protection and economic support programmes while supporting household resilience and economic stability. He added that the intervention aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to delivering the programme with dignity, transparency and accountability.