The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of ₦50,000 cash assistance to vulnerable Nigerians under a new intervention aimed at helping low-income households cope with rising food prices and the increasing cost of living.

The initiative, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction as part of efforts to provide financial support to households facing economic hardship.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the programme on Friday, October 30, 2026, explaining that the intervention was designed to provide immediate relief to eligible Nigerians.

According to the minister, the ₦50,000 cash support is intended to help beneficiaries meet essential household expenses amid persistent increases in the prices of food and other basic commodities.

He said the programme was introduced in response to the pressure of global food inflation and the rising cost of living, which have continued to affect the purchasing power of many households.

The government said the intervention would be reviewed periodically in response to changes in economic conditions, with beneficiaries expected to receive direct communication about any adjustments.

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Under the payment arrangement, the ministry is working with approved digital financial service providers to ensure that the funds reach selected beneficiaries through secure channels.

The programme’s official website lists ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo PSB and NairaGram as approved payment providers. Beneficiaries are expected to receive text messages from the providers and give their consent before the funds are transferred to their accounts or mobile wallets.

The government said beneficiaries would not need to pay any fee, register through an agent or submit an application to access the intervention.

Selection is expected to be based on verified national identity records and information in the National Social Register, which is used to identify poor and vulnerable households.

The ministry also warned Nigerians to be cautious of fraudsters seeking to exploit the cash transfer programme by demanding payments or requesting confidential banking details.

Doro urged beneficiaries not to disclose their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) or One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone claiming to facilitate their payments.

He advised Nigerians who receive suspicious messages or are asked to pay money before accessing the support to contact the programme’s official helpline on 0700-022-2222 for clarification.

The intervention is expected to complement existing social protection programmes and other government efforts to cushion the impact of economic hardship on low-income households.

However, there is an important discrepancy over how frequently the ₦50,000 will be paid. Although the minister’s announcement describes the support as a monthly payment, the programme’s official website currently identifies it as a one-off grant.

The ministry should therefore clarify whether beneficiaries will receive the money every month or only once under the current intervention.

For now, Nigerians are advised to rely on official government announcements and verified messages from approved payment providers for information about eligibility and disbursement.

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A 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager, Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, has been shot dead while walking to school in the Bronx, New York, with his grieving father raising concerns that alleged bullying at school may have been connected to the fatal attack.

Frimpong was reportedly shot in the stomach shortly after 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026, near East 171st Street and Third Avenue in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx.

The teenager was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital by responding police officers but later died from his injuries.

According to reports, Frimpong was on his way to DreamYard Preparatory School when he was attacked. Surveillance footage from the neighbourhood reportedly showed him running along the street as a person dressed in black pursued him before he collapsed.

Police said they were searching for three people believed to have been involved in the shooting. The suspects were reportedly seen fleeing the area after the attack, with some accounts describing them as teenagers wearing dark clothing and face coverings.

As of Friday, October 30, no arrests had been announced, while investigators were yet to establish the motive for the killing.

The teenager’s father, Thomas Frimpong, said his son had complained about being bullied by another student and had repeatedly reported the alleged harassment to school authorities.

According to him, the school’s principal contacted him a few days before the shooting to inform him that two students had been suspended following complaints involving his son.

Thomas said he became concerned that the alleged bullying might have played a role in the killing, although the police have not established any connection between the school incidents and the shooting.

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He described Javits as a quiet, intelligent and disciplined teenager who rarely went out and was committed to his education.

The father said his son moved from Ghana to the United States in 2025 to live with him in the hope of building a better future.

Recounting the final moments before the tragedy, Thomas said he woke his son up on Thursday morning before leaving home.

He recalled that Javits came to open the door for him before he left, unaware that it would be their last encounter.

The father said he later received the devastating news from the principal of his son’s school.

He also expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the attack, insisting that his son had not been involved in any serious trouble and had repeatedly sought help over the alleged bullying.

A school bus aide also told CBS New York that he was aware of at least two students who had been suspended in recent weeks over alleged bullying involving Javits.

However, authorities have not confirmed whether the students reportedly involved in the school incidents had any connection with the shooting.

A friend of the deceased also told local media that Javits had been involved in an altercation with two students at school shortly before his death. The friend, however, said the confrontation was not particularly serious.

The conflicting accounts have added to calls for a thorough investigation into the teenager’s death, although police have not publicly established a link between the school dispute and the fatal shooting.

Meanwhile, the killing has attracted attention in Ghana, with the country’s government promising to work with United States authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said he had spoken directly with the deceased’s father to convey the government’s condolences and assure the family of its support.

In a statement issued on Friday, October 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government would actively engage relevant American authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and accountability.

Ablakwa, speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, described the teenager’s death as a painful loss and assured the bereaved family that Ghana would support its pursuit of justice.

The minister also pledged that the government would provide appropriate legal and consular assistance to the family.

Officials of Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York reportedly visited Thomas Frimpong to express their condolences and convey the government’s support.

The government also urged authorities in the Bronx to conduct a comprehensive investigation and ensure that anyone found responsible for the killing is brought to justice.

The tragedy has renewed concerns about school bullying, youth violence and the safety of students, particularly those who may be experiencing harassment without adequate protection.

For Javits’ family, however, the immediate priority remains obtaining answers about why the teenager was killed and ensuring that those responsible are identified and prosecuted.

Police investigations were ongoing as of October 30, with authorities appealing to anyone with information about the shooting to assist in identifying the suspects.

Ghanaian Teen Chased, Shot Dead on Way to School in New York