How we accessed FG’s ₦50,000 grant, spent the money – Beneficiaries

Three Nigerians who benefited from the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 cash assistance scheme have shared their experiences, describing how the money reached them, what they spent it on and the difference it made to their households.

The beneficiaries gave varying accounts of the intervention, with some describing the payment as timely relief amid rising living costs, while others said the amount offered only limited support and urged the government to extend the programme to more vulnerable Nigerians.

The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) is designed to provide monthly financial assistance to vulnerable households struggling with the increasing cost of living.

For Mrs Felicia Godwin, the payment brought excitement, particularly because the alert arrived on her birthday.

Godwin said she received a notification through MoMo on Thursday, November 5, and completed the process by following the instructions in the message.

She disclosed that she dialled the designated code, created a transfer PIN and received the ₦50,000 credit alert about an hour later.

According to TVC, recounting her reaction, she said: “I feel on top of the world, like I was jumping and shouting, I don receive my own. The joy was priceless.”

The beneficiary said she initially bought a bottle of Coke before spending part of the money on food items for her household.

“I bought cold Coke first, then transfer ₦2,000 to someone per share from free money. Then I bought food stuff package at home,” she said.

Godwin explained that the grant had helped reduce the pressure of household expenses, especially the cost of feeding.

She added that she planned to use the remaining money to purchase another item she had previously struggled to afford.

Reflecting on her financial situation before receiving the intervention, she said meeting daily needs had been about 50 per cent difficult.

She described the payment as timely, noting that it arrived on November 5, her birthday.

“100 per cent timely, the money came on time and at the point of need. That day, 5th November was my birthday. So the money is birthday gift to me,” she said.

While appreciating the Federal Government, Godwin appealed for the intervention to be sustained for a longer period, preferably as a monthly support programme.

“They should please help us with support relief fund. If it is possible for them to make it a monthly plan for a year,” she said.

Another beneficiary, a retiree identified by the pseudonym Akinjobe Brenda, said the ₦50,000 provided additional financial support but did not significantly change her household’s circumstances.

Brenda said she received the notification through an SMS on her phone and completed the process with assistance from her daughter.

“I got the message on my phone. Yes, the process was a bit quick. All thanks to my daughter,” she said.

She disclosed that she used part of the money to settle some bills and purchase food ingredients, but maintained that the amount was not substantial enough to make a major difference.

Describing the payment as additional support rather than a solution to an immediate financial crisis, she said: “The money came as a plus.”

Asked whether the grant had helped her meet essential needs, Brenda said it provided only modest assistance with household food purchases.

“Not necessarily. It only helped in getting a few food ingredients,” she said.

The retiree also called on the government to widen the programme’s reach, arguing that more Nigerians should be included among the beneficiaries.

“They should work on making every Nigerian benefit from this and the money doesn’t really feel like a big deal,” she said.

Although uncertain about whether the scheme should continue in its present form, she indicated that she might welcome its continuation.

‘The money came at the right time’

For Oguntuase Olaoluwa Joshua, the payment came as a welcome surprise, providing some assistance with immediate household needs.

Joshua said he was happy when he discovered that he had been selected for the intervention and received the money through the MoMo mobile application.

He described the process as straightforward and said he spent the grant on groceries, provisions and toiletries, using the remaining balance to purchase data.

“I used it to buy groceries,” he said.

Joshua disclosed that he was the only member of his household to benefit from the intervention, adding that the money arrived when he needed additional financial support.

However, he said the impact was limited by the amount involved.

“Just a little cause ₦50k it’s not a lot of money,” he said.

Despite this, he described the payment as timely, noting that it helped him take care of some immediate needs.

“Yeah, it came at the right time,” he added.

Joshua also raised concerns about the selection process, saying some of his friends had not received the grant.

He urged the Federal Government to expand the programme to accommodate more vulnerable people.

“They should try and allow more people to benefit more from the intervention cause most of my friends did not get the money,” he said.

He nevertheless expressed support for the continuation of the scheme.