The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on the Federal Government to disclose details of the funding, implementation and administration of its N50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention.
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The organisation urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, to provide information on how beneficiaries are selected, how payments are made, contracts with digital financial service providers and measures to prevent political interference.
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SERAP made the demand in a Freedom of Information request dated November 7, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The request followed the ministry’s October 30 announcement of the NERSI programme, designed to provide N50,000 in financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerians.
SERAP said questions remained unanswered about the programme’s total funding, geographical coverage, duration and the criteria for selecting beneficiaries from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
It asked the minister to disclose the budgetary allocations, funds released and spent, eligibility requirements, beneficiary verification procedures and distribution of recipients across the country.
The organisation also sought clarification on whether the N50,000 assistance was a one-off payment or a monthly intervention. It noted that while the ministry’s initial announcement described the payment as monthly, a subsequent frequently asked questions document did not clearly state its frequency or duration.
SERAP maintained that Nigerians had a right to know how public funds allocated to the programme were being spent, who was receiving the assistance and whether it was reaching those most in need.
The organisation also raised concerns about possible political interference, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It insisted that the intervention must be distributed strictly according to genuine need and objective eligibility criteria, rather than being used to reward political supporters, secure partisan loyalty or influence voters.
SERAP further stated that beneficiaries must not be compelled to attend political rallies, support candidates or political parties, display political materials or demonstrate political loyalty as a condition for receiving assistance.
It described NERSI as a government programme funded with public resources, rather than a personal gift or political benefit from any office-holder or party.
The organisation also urged the minister to invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to monitor the programme’s implementation and expenditure, investigate allegations of corruption and ensure that the funds reach their intended recipients.
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SERAP expressed concern over reports that some Nigerians who received notifications about the N50,000 assistance could not access or withdraw the money, while others reportedly received messages stating that they were ineligible.
It said the complaints raised questions about the accuracy of beneficiary verification, the reliability of payment arrangements and the effectiveness of procedures for resolving failed or disputed transactions.
The group asked the ministry to investigate the reports, publish its findings and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries received the assistance.
It also requested copies of agreements with the digital financial service providers engaged to administer the payments, including ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
SERAP sought details of the providers’ responsibilities, charges and performance, as well as the measures in place to protect beneficiaries’ personal information.
It urged the ministry to establish clear rules for using the National Social Register and national identity records, alongside appropriate data-protection safeguards.
The organisation also called for the publication of anonymised information showing the number of beneficiaries and the amounts paid or scheduled for payment in each state and local government area.
Additionally, it requested records of any involvement by political actors in beneficiary selection, payments, access to beneficiary databases and the use of public resources to promote the programme.
To support its demand for accountability, SERAP cited concerns raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2024 Annual Report over more than N78.8bn in public funds allegedly diverted or unaccounted for in the administration of social intervention and cash transfer programmes.
It also referred to concerns involving N33.751bn in cash transfers made in 2023, for which relevant REMITA records and other supporting documents were reportedly not provided for audit.
The organisation said the findings demonstrated the need for proper financial controls, record-keeping, independent verification and effective oversight from the beginning of the new intervention.
According to SERAP, disclosing the requested information would enable Nigerians to assess whether the programme was reaching eligible recipients and whether public funds were being properly managed.
The group gave Doro seven days from the receipt or publication of its letter to provide the information and implement the proposed accountability measures.
It warned that it would consider legal action to compel the ministry and other relevant authorities to fulfil their constitutional and statutory obligations if they failed to respond within the stipulated period.
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