Financial technology company, OPay, has provided clarification on how customers can establish their eligibility for the Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly cash assistance programme, while warning Nigerians against fraudsters attempting to exploit the intervention.
The company explained that customers who qualify for the Federal Government’s National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) would receive an automatic pop-up notification on the homepage of their OPay mobile application.
Beneficiaries are expected to follow the instructions displayed to complete the process required to access the support.
In a statement shared through its official X account on Tuesday, OPay stressed that the absence of the notification on a customer’s application indicates that the individual is not eligible for the programme. It also clarified that the fintech platform has no authority over the selection or determination of beneficiaries.
“The ₦50,000 monthly Federal Government cash support is available only to eligible citizens. Eligible customers will see a pop-up notification on their OPay app homepage. Kindly click on the pop-up to proceed with the next steps.
“Kindly note that customers who are unable to see the feature on the app are not eligible for it. Please note that we do not determine your eligibility. Kindly contact NERSI at 07000222222 for assistance.”
OPay also raised concerns over possible fraudulent schemes targeting individuals seeking to benefit from the government intervention. It warned customers against disclosing sensitive banking information to individuals claiming to facilitate the payment.
“The company emphasised that neither its representatives nor any other authorised party would request customers’ personal identification numbers or one-time passwords as a condition for receiving the assistance.
“OPay will never ask for your PIN or OTP to process a NERSI relief payment. Do not pay any agent or click unverified links,” it said.
To avoid falling victim to fraudulent activities, the company advised customers to confirm their eligibility through the official OPay application or by dialling its designated USSD code, 95520#. It further cautioned against making payments to intermediaries or responding to suspicious links and unsolicited messages.
The clarification comes amid increasing public attention surrounding the Federal Government’s N50,000 monthly intervention, following the circulation of information about the programme on social media. An X user had earlier drawn attention to the initiative while sharing USSD codes through which customers of participating financial service providers could check their eligibility.
The Federal Government had previously announced the commencement of payments under NERSI, a presidential intervention intended to provide financial relief to economically vulnerable households struggling with the rising cost of living.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the disbursement exercise in a statement issued on October 30. He explained that qualified beneficiaries would receive N50,000 every month to support their basic needs and cushion the effects of increasing living expenses.
Doro noted that the intervention would be subject to periodic assessments, adding that the ministry was working with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure that the distribution process remained transparent and secure.
Under the payment arrangement, prospective beneficiaries are expected to receive text messages requesting their consent before the approved funds are transferred directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
The participating financial service providers and their respective USSD codes include ALAT by Wema (94523#), MoMo PSB (6710#), NairaGram (72600#), OPay (95520#) and Moniepoint (557327#).
The minister also clarified that Nigerians identified as beneficiaries would not be required to complete separate applications, pay registration charges or engage agents to access the financial assistance.
He urged citizens to protect sensitive financial details, particularly their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), warning against sharing such information with unauthorised persons.
Doro further advised Nigerians who receive questionable messages or encounter difficulties concerning the intervention to seek clarification through the official NERSI support line on 0700-022-2222.
