MTN subscribers selected for the Federal Government's N50,000 monthly relief programme can verify their eligibility and accept the financial support through the MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB) USSD platform.
The initiative, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), is designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households across the country amid rising living costs.
The development follows the circulation of a fraudulent social media message urging MTN subscribers who have not received the payment or whose eligibility status reads "NOT ELIGIBLE" to send "YES" to an unofficial code, with a promise of receiving the grant within 24 hours.
However, MTN Nigeria Support has disowned the message, warning subscribers against falling victim to the alleged scam.
In a response to the circulating message, the telecommunications company clarified that the information did not originate from MTN and advised subscribers to disregard it.
The company also cautioned users against clicking on suspicious links, sharing sensitive personal information, including one-time passwords (OTPs), Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and passwords, or making payments based on unverified messages.
According to information on the official NERSI portal, beneficiaries are selected through verified National Identity Management Commission records and the National Social Register.
The programme uses approved payment service providers, including MoMo PSB, ALAT by Wema, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint, to disburse the funds.
For MTN subscribers, MoMo PSB serves as the designated payment provider.
How MTN Subscribers Can Check Their Eligibility
MTN users can check their eligibility by dialling 6710# from the phone number linked to their registration and following the instructions displayed on the screen.
Subscribers who receive an official notification confirming their selection are expected to follow the instructions provided to accept the financial support.
Beneficiaries may also receive an official MoMo notification requesting their consent to receive the payment. They are expected to respond to the prompt to authorise the transfer.
Those without a MoMo wallet can register by dialling *671# or downloading the official MoMo NG application.
Once the N50,000 is credited, beneficiaries can access the funds through the MoMo application, USSD platform or authorised MoMo agents. The money can also be transferred to their bank accounts.
The Federal Government had earlier explained that selected beneficiaries would receive text messages from their respective payment providers requesting consent before the funds were transferred to their mobile wallets.
Announcing the commencement of the intervention in a statement on October 30, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, said eligible beneficiaries would receive N50,000 monthly to support their essential needs and cushion the effects of rising living costs.
Doro explained that beneficiaries would receive messages from the approved payment providers seeking their consent before disbursement.
He stressed that once consent was granted, the money would be paid directly into the beneficiary's account or mobile wallet.
The minister also clarified that Nigerians were not required to submit applications, pay registration fees or engage agents to access the intervention.
The ministry further warned citizens against disclosing their PINs and Bank Verification Numbers to unauthorised individuals.
Meanwhile, the NERSI portal states that participation in the programme is free and that selected beneficiaries are being contacted in batches.
It also explains that subscribers can use their respective payment providers' USSD codes to check their eligibility.
Those whose status indicates "NOT SELECTED" are not necessarily permanently excluded, as the disbursement is being carried out in phases. However, the government has not guaranteed that all individuals excluded from the current batch will automatically benefit from subsequent payments.
For enquiries and complaints, beneficiaries can contact the NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 or MoMo PSB customer support by dialling 671.