The Federal Government’s announcement of a N50,000 monthly allowance for selected vulnerable households has created an opportunity for fraudsters to exploit Nigerians searching for financial assistance, with suspicious websites presenting themselves as gateways to the promised support.
Barely days after the government announced the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), findings by BusinessDay showed that fraudulent websites emerged claiming to offer Nigerians access to the monthly payment.
It was observed that these websites adopted government-related branding, promised instant payments of N50,000 and requested visitors’ personal and banking information under the guise of registration.
Read also: FG struggles to prove N50,000 cash relief reach poorest Nigerians
Our correspondent, who visited the websites, discovered that rather than simply requesting information for payment, the platforms instructed visitors to share their link with five WhatsApp groups or 15 friends before proceeding, a mechanism that could help spread the website to more potential victims.
It was discovered that the use of countdown messages and purported beneficiary testimonials also appeared designed to create urgency and make the offer more convincing.
The emergence of the fraudulent websites comes against the backdrop of widespread poverty and rising living costs, which have increased the need for government assistance among Nigerian households.
Announcing the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) on October 30, 2026, Bernard Doro, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, said the programme was introduced in response to global food inflation and the rising cost of essential goods, which have placed pressure on household incomes.
The intervention is designed to provide immediate financial support to millions of vulnerable households, with selected beneficiaries receiving N50,000 monthly through bank accounts or mobile wallets.
Read also: FG shifts N50,000 relief payments to digital channels, cuts out cash intermediaries
The official NERSI guidelines state that beneficiaries are selected through verified national identity records and the National Social Register. They are not required to register online, pay agents or submit applications to secure a place on the beneficiary list.
Despite these guidelines, findings by BusinessDay showed that fraudulent websites continue to solicit Nigerians’ personal and banking information under the guise of registering them for the allowance, raising concerns about the potential misuse of data collected from people seeking government support.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction warned Nigerians against individuals and websites claiming to offer registration for the N50,000 relief, insisting that beneficiaries do not need to apply or pay anyone to access the intervention.
The government, in a post on public notice posted on its official X handle, said payments were being made in phases, with selected beneficiaries contacted through approved payment providers.
It also warned that nobody could add individuals to the beneficiary list or accelerate their payments in exchange for money.
Read also: FG begins N50,000 monthly relief payments under new NERSI scheme
The ministry said genuine beneficiaries would receive text message notifications from approved providers, including ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint, while those seeking to confirm their eligibility could use the providers’ designated USSD channels.
It further cautioned Nigerians against disclosing their PINs, one-time passwords and Bank Verification Numbers to individuals claiming to facilitate the payments.
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