The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded full disclosure of the funding, implementation and administration of the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), warning that it could institute legal action if the authorities fail to provide the requested information.
SERAP specifically urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, to disclose details of the programme’s funding, beneficiary selection and payment arrangements, including contracts with digital financial service providers and safeguards against political interference ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a Freedom of Information request dated November 7, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation gave the minister seven days to provide the information and implement measures to ensure transparency and accountability in the programme.
The demand follows the ministry’s October 30 announcement of NERSI, which is designed to provide ₦50,000 financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerians.
However, SERAP said critical details about the intervention remained unclear, including its total funding, geographical coverage, number of beneficiaries, duration and criteria for selecting recipients from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
The organisation also expressed concern over conflicting information about the frequency of payments, noting that while the ministry’s public statement described the assistance as a monthly payment, its subsequent frequently asked questions (FAQ) document did not clearly establish how often beneficiaries would receive the money or how long the intervention would last.
SERAP urged the ministry to publish details of budgetary allocations, funds released and expenditure, eligibility requirements, verification procedures and the geographical distribution of beneficiaries. It also demanded an anonymised breakdown of beneficiaries and payments by state and local government area, including ward-level figures where available.
The organisation further called on the minister to invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to independently monitor the programme, investigate allegations of corruption and ensure that public funds reach their intended recipients.
“Nigerians have a right to know how public funds allocated to NERSI are being spent, who is receiving the assistance, how beneficiaries are selected and whether the programme is reaching those most in need,” SERAP said.
It warned against the use of the intervention to reward political supporters, secure partisan loyalty or influence the electoral choices of vulnerable Nigerians.
According to the organisation, beneficiaries must not be required or encouraged to attend political rallies, support political parties or candidates, display political materials or demonstrate political allegiance as a condition for receiving the assistance.
SERAP stressed that NERSI was a government programme funded with public resources and should not be presented as a personal gift or political benefit from any public office-holder or political party.
“Publicly funded social assistance must be allocated strictly on the basis of genuine need and objective eligibility criteria,” it said.
The organisation also raised concerns over reports that some Nigerians who received notifications of the ₦50,000 assistance had been unable to access or withdraw the funds, while others were reportedly informed 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 mechanisms for resolving failed transactions and disputed eligibility.
SERAP called on the ministry to investigate the complaints, publish its findings and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the assistance.
It also demanded disclosure of agreements with the digital financial service providers engaged to administer the payments, including ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
The ministry was asked to explain the respective roles of the companies, the fees payable to them, their performance obligations and the procedures for independently verifying payments.
On data protection, SERAP said the use of the National Social Register and national identity records to identify beneficiaries must be governed by clear rules and adequate safeguards.
It urged the government to explain how the databases were being accessed and used, protect beneficiaries’ personal information and make anonymised and aggregated data available for public scrutiny.
The organisation said the information gaps surrounding NERSI made it difficult for Nigerians to determine whether the intervention was being implemented fairly, whether public funds were properly accounted for and whether assistance was reaching those most in need.
It cited concerns raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2024 Annual Report over more than ₦78.8 billion allegedly diverted or unaccounted for in the administration of social intervention and cash transfer programmes.
SERAP particularly referred to an alleged ₦33.751 billion in cash transfers made in 2023 for which relevant REMITA records and other supporting documents were reportedly not made available for audit.
It said the findings reinforced the need for strong financial controls, proper record-keeping, independent verification and effective oversight from the outset of NERSI.
The organisation acknowledged the importance of providing financial assistance to Nigerians facing poverty and economic hardship but insisted that programmes involving public funds and the personal information of vulnerable households must operate under transparent and publicly accessible rules.
It also cited Sections 13, 15(5), 16(2)(b) and 17(3)(d) of the Nigerian Constitution, which address the responsibilities of government in combating corruption, ensuring the equitable distribution of public resources and promoting citizens’ welfare.
SERAP further noted that Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption required integrity, accountability and transparency in the management of public affairs and public funds.
The organisation warned that failure to provide the requested information and take appropriate measures within seven days of receiving or publishing the letter would compel it to consider legal action against the ministry and other relevant authorities.
It said such action would seek to enforce their constitutional and statutory obligations and ensure the transparent, accountable and impartial implementation of NERSI in the public interest.
