Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has warned the federal government against possible political interference in its ₦50,000 relief programme, demanding full disclosure of beneficiaries, payments and safeguards ahead of the 2027 elections.
The organisation made the demand in a Freedom of Information request dated November 7 and addressed to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, following the government’s announcement of the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI).
SERAP urged the ministry to publish details of the programme’s funding, eligibility requirements, beneficiary selection process, geographical coverage and payment arrangements, insisting that public assistance must not become a tool for political mobilisation.
“Publicly funded social assistance must be allocated strictly on the basis of genuine need and objective eligibility criteria. It must not be used to reward political supporters, secure partisan loyalty, finance political mobilisation or influence the electoral choices of vulnerable Nigerians, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections,” the organisation said.
It further warned that beneficiaries must not be pressured to attend political rallies, support candidates or display political materials in exchange for the financial assistance.
“Beneficiaries must not be required or encouraged to attend political rallies, support political parties or candidates, display political materials or demonstrate political loyalty as a condition for receiving assistance. NERSI is a government programme funded with public resources, not a personal gift or political benefit from any office-holder or political party,” SERAP stated.
The organisation also raised concerns over reports that some Nigerians who received notifications of the ₦50,000 payment had been unable to withdraw the money, while others were reportedly informed that they were not eligible.
It said the complaints raised questions about the accuracy of the beneficiary verification process, the reliability of payment channels and the ministry’s arrangements for resolving failed transactions and wrongful exclusions.
“The ministry should urgently investigate these complaints, publish its findings and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the assistance intended for them,” SERAP demanded.
The group also asked the ministry to disclose agreements with the digital financial service providers engaged to administer the payments, including ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint. It requested details of their respective roles, fees and performance.
SERAP further sought clarification on whether the ₦50,000 assistance would be paid once or monthly, noting that while the ministry’s October 30 announcement described it as a monthly intervention, subsequent frequently asked questions did not clearly establish the frequency and duration of payments.
It also called for the publication of an anonymised breakdown of beneficiaries and payments by state and local government area, as well as details of how the National Social Register and national identity records would be used to identify recipients.
The organisation 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.
SERAP said its demand was particularly important in view of concerns raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation over more than ₦78.8bn in public funds allegedly diverted or unaccounted for in the administration of social intervention and cash transfer programmes.
It specifically cited reported findings concerning ₦33.751bn in cash transfers made in 2023 for which supporting documents, including relevant REMITA records, were allegedly not provided for audit.
“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,” the organisation said.
SERAP gave the ministry seven days to provide the requested information and take the proposed measures, warning that it would consider legal action if the authorities failed to respond.
The organisation said transparency and independent oversight were necessary to ensure that the intervention reached vulnerable Nigerians and was protected from corruption, misappropriation and partisan influence.