FG explains how N50,000 NERSI grant beneficiaries are picked from social register

The Federal Government has outlined how it selects Nigerians for its N50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) grant and other social assistance. The process relies on the National Social Register (NSR), a household database maintained by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO).

The NERSI scheme was introduced on October 30, 2026. On November 6, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction said beneficiaries were selected from existing social register records and verified national identity information. The ministry said Nigerians did not need to submit individual applications.

Four screening steps

NASSCO’s guidelines list four methods used to assess households before they are considered for the social register. First, geographic targeting assesses poverty across local government areas. States rank their councils by deprivation levels so attention can go to places with greater social and economic needs.

Second, community ranking assesses communities by access to essential facilities and infrastructure. This shows where gaps in basic services are deepest.

Third, community-based identification allows people in selected communities to help identify families facing hardship. Trained teams coordinate the exercise, while field enumerators gather information on the households identified.

Fourth, Proxy Means Testing subjects the information to statistical assessment. Household circumstances, living conditions and other characteristics are used to estimate welfare levels. The scores determine how households are ranked. Those in the first six deciles are considered for the National Beneficiary Register and certain assistance schemes.

Register is not automatic payment

Being on the National Social Register does not automatically entitle a household to every government grant. NASSCO keeps information on potential beneficiaries, but organisations implementing individual interventions can set additional conditions before distributing assistance.

The database is also used to plan programmes in healthcare, education, agriculture and humanitarian relief. For government agencies and development partners, reliable household records can reduce the risk of sending limited resources to people who do not meet eligibility criteria. NASSCO has warned that poor beneficiary information can weaken social intervention programmes by excluding deserving families and hurting resource allocation.

Scale of the register

NASSCO’s October 2026 update shows 21,114,531 households in the register, covering 83,162,654 individuals. It also lists 217,166 communities and 37 administrative jurisdictions, made up of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The government is linking household records to the National Identification Number (NIN) system. NASSCO reported 16,176,026 NIN records captured and 15,653,374 records successfully verified. It also reported 11,347,989 households with at least one linked NIN and 13,330,387 households whose records had been updated. The update covered 771 local government areas, with a reported coverage rate of 63.13%.

The ministry warned against individuals or groups demanding money in exchange for promises of inclusion in the beneficiary list.

For Nigerian households, the message is that the N50,000 NERSI grant is tied to existing government data, not a fresh application round. Beneficiaries still need verified identity records, and inclusion in the social register alone does not guarantee payment.

Separately, the Bank of Industry launched a digital platform called MyBOI, which allows Nigerian businesses to apply for financing, complete onboarding and monitor loan applications without visiting a branch.