The Federal Government has explained why some Nigerians are yet to receive text message notifications for its N50,000 relief grant, saying payments are being made in phases and selected beneficiaries are being contacted in batches.
The government said the delay in receiving a notification did not necessarily mean an individual had been excluded from the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention.
According to the programme’s frequently asked questions published on its website and sighted by PUNCH Online on Thursday, payment providers are contacting beneficiaries in batches, meaning some selected recipients 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 stated.
However, the government clarified that not everyone would be selected in the current phase because the intervention was designed to support a limited number of households at a time.
It advised Nigerians who wanted to confirm their status to dial the USSD code of their payment provider and select the option to check their eligibility.
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 against individuals claiming they could help Nigerians secure a place on the list or speed up their payments in exchange for money.
“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, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation 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 were selected from the National Social Register and verified national identity records, stressing that individuals could not apply or arrange to be included on the list.
It also said selection was based on need, with beneficiaries spread across 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.
The government explained that recipients must accept the offer through the USSD code contained in their messages before the money would be credited to their mobile wallets.
It also clarified that the N50,000 support was a grant, not a loan, and beneficiaries were not required to repay it.
The programme warned Nigerians against paying anyone to access the intervention, adding that accepting the offer, receiving the money and responding to programme text messages were free.
It further cautioned beneficiaries against sharing their personal identification numbers, one-time passwords or Bank Verification Numbers with anyone claiming to facilitate their payments.
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