OPay has released guidance to help Nigerians find out whether they qualify for the Federal Government's N50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) and collect their funds through the platform.

The NERSI programme is a federal government initiative aimed at providing direct financial support to vulnerable households struggling with the rising cost of living.

Selected beneficiaries receive N50,000 through approved financial service providers, including mobile money operators such as OPay.

How to check your NERSI eligibility on OPay

OPay said eligible users may receive a notification directly within the OPay mobile app indicating their selection for the intervention.

To check, customers should open the app, log in with their registered details and look for any notification or pop-up message related to the N50,000 cash support. Those who receive the notification should follow the in-app instructions to proceed.

Customers can also confirm their status using OPay's USSD service by dialling *955*20# from the phone number linked to their account, then following the on-screen prompts and selecting the eligibility-check option.

If selected, the prompts will guide users through the acceptance process.

According to the Federal Government, the N50,000 will be credited to a beneficiary's mobile wallet once they give consent and complete the required acceptance steps.

Payments are being made in phases, so some eligible households may receive their notifications later than others.

OPay clarified that eligibility decisions rest entirely with the relevant government authorities, not the payment platform. Customers who have not received a notification should not assume they have been selected or pay anyone claiming to arrange their inclusion.

OPay warns against NERSI fraud

The company also raised concerns about fraudsters looking to take advantage of the programme.

OPay said it would never ask customers for their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) or One-Time Passwords (OTPs) in connection with NERSI payments.

Customers were also advised not to click suspicious links or share confidential banking details with anyone.

The federal government confirmed that it identifies beneficiaries using verified national identity records and the National Social Register. No fresh registration is needed, and no fee is required to access the payment.

Nigerians with questions about the programme can reach the NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222.