Nigerians using OPay can now check whether they have been selected for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 monthly relief support through the fintech platform’s mobile application or USSD service.
The support is being provided under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
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The programme is designed to provide financial assistance to poor and vulnerable households, with selected beneficiaries receiving ₦50,000 directly into mobile wallets through approved payment providers, including OPay.
According to the programme’s official information portal, beneficiaries are selected using verified national identity records and the National Social Register.
This means that having an OPay account does not automatically qualify a customer for the support.
How OPay Users Can Check If They Have Been Selected
OPay customers can check their eligibility through two channels: the mobile application and USSD.
1. Through the OPay App
Customers with smartphones can follow these steps:
- Open the official OPay application on their phones.
- Log in to their accounts.
- Check the homepage for a notification concerning the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief support.
- If the notification appears, open it and follow the instructions provided.
- Complete the acceptance process if they have been selected.
Customers should ensure they are using the official OPay application and avoid clicking links from unknown sources.
2. Through OPay USSD Code
Customers without smartphones or mobile internet can also check their eligibility using OPay’s USSD service.
To do this:
- Dial 95520# using the phone number linked to your OPay account.
- Follow the instructions displayed on your phone.
- Select the eligibility-check option where available.
- Check the response to know whether you have been selected.
The USSD service allows customers to access the available options without an internet connection.
What Happens If You Have Been Selected?
According to the Federal Government’s NERSI portal, selected beneficiaries will receive an SMS from their designated payment provider informing them of their selection.
For OPay customers, the message should come from OPay and contain instructions on how to accept the support.
Beneficiaries are required to give their consent before the payment can be processed.
After receiving the message, selected customers should:
- Follow the instructions in the official SMS.
- Dial the USSD code provided in the message.
- Confirm that they agree to receive the support by following the prompts.
- Wait for their mobile wallet to be opened or activated and linked to their phone number and National Identification Number (NIN).
The ₦50,000 will be credited after the acceptance process is completed.
How To Know If The ₦50,000 Has Been Credited
Receiving a selection message does not necessarily mean the money has already entered your wallet.
The programme says beneficiaries will receive another SMS from their payment provider confirming that the money has been credited.
OPay customers can also check their wallet balance and transaction history through the application or use the USSD service to access the available balance and transaction options.
Once the payment reflects, beneficiaries can transfer the money to a bank account, send it to a POS agent for cash withdrawal or spend it directly from their wallets.
What If You Have Not Received Any SMS?
OPay customers who have not received a selection message should not immediately conclude that they have been excluded from the programme.
The Federal Government says payments are being made in phases, meaning beneficiaries are contacted in batches.
However, not everyone will be selected in the current phase.
Customers can dial 95520# and select the eligibility-check option to confirm their status.
If the response indicates that they are not currently selected, they may not be part of the present batch. The government has not guaranteed that everyone who is not selected now will receive the support in a later phase.
Is The ₦50,000 Support Free?
Yes. The Federal Government says the NERSI support is a grant, not a loan, and beneficiaries are not required to repay the money.
There is also no registration fee or payment required to receive the support.
The programme has warned Nigerians against fraudsters who demand money to secure a place on the beneficiaries’ list or release the funds.
Beneficiaries should never disclose their PIN, one-time password (OTP) or other security details to anyone.
The programme also cautions against clicking suspicious links or responding to messages from unofficial sources.
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