OPay has outlined the steps its customers can follow to determine their eligibility for the Federal Government’s monthly N50,000 cash relief programme for vulnerable Nigerians, while cautioning against fraudulent activities linked to the scheme.
The fintech company said qualified customers would receive a pop-up notification on the homepage of their OPay mobile application, prompting them to proceed with the necessary steps to access the intervention.
In a statement posted on its X handle on Tuesday, OPay clarified that customers who did not see the notification on their applications were not eligible for the programme.
It also stressed that the company had no role in determining who qualified for the relief.
“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.”
The company further warned customers to be wary of scammers seeking to exploit the relief programme, emphasising that it would not request personal identification numbers or one-time passwords to facilitate payments under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention.
“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.
OPay advised customers to verify their eligibility exclusively through its official mobile application or by using the USSD code 95520#, warning against engaging unauthorised agents or clicking suspicious links.
The clarification followed growing public interest in the Federal Government’s cash support scheme, after an X user shared information about the intervention alongside USSD codes for checking eligibility through participating financial service providers.
The Federal Government had earlier announced the commencement of disbursements under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention, a presidential initiative designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the programme in a statement on October 30, noting that eligible beneficiaries would receive N50,000 monthly to meet essential needs and mitigate the impact of rising living costs.
According to the minister, the programme would undergo periodic reviews, while the ministry would collaborate with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure secure and transparent payments.
Beneficiaries are expected to receive an SMS requesting their consent before the funds are transferred directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
The approved providers and their respective USSD codes are ALAT by Wema (94523#), MoMo PSB (6710#), NairaGram (72600#), OPay (95520#) and Moniepoint (557327#).
Doro also warned that beneficiaries were not required to submit applications, pay fees or register through agents to access the support.
He urged Nigerians to safeguard their PINs and Bank Verification Numbers and contact the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222 for clarification on suspicious messages.
