Fake websites have become a major issue in various Nigerian palliative programmes. The federal government has alerted Nigerians to the existence of unauthorised online platforms that are exploiting the government’s relief programmes for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, issued a cautionary notice recently, warning Nigerians to avoid such platforms that are falsely claiming association with the Presidential Palliative Programmes.
The minister said that these platforms are charging people to apply for palliatives, which are supposed to be free. She urged Nigerians to protect their information and rely only on the official portal, fedgrantandloan.gov.ng, for authentic updates and applications.
Fraudsters often clone websites to defraud innocent applicants for this scheme. Website cloning is a prevalent technique used to defraud individuals or undermine the reputation of well-established websites and corporations. These fake websites are becoming rampant, resulting in diverse criminal activities.
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The government’s initiatives to support small businesses
The minister also reminded Nigerians of the government’s initiatives to support small businesses, especially nano-businesses, which are the smallest and most vulnerable segment of the economy.
She said that the government has launched two programmes: the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme and the Presidential Palliative Loan Programme, targeted at manufacturers, SMEs, MSMEs, and businesses.
Under the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme, the government will disburse a grant sum of N50,000 to nanobusinesses across the 774 local government areas. Under the Presidential Palliative Loan Programme, the government will provide low-interest loans to small businesses to help them recover from the impact of the pandemic.
The minister said that the government, through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, will collaborate with state and local governments, federal legislators, federal ministers, banks, and other stakeholders to implement these programmes.
This is similar to the experience of Nigerian students who experienced these fake websites when checking their NECO results. This report resulted in a warning concerning the correct portal by the officials of the examination border.
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How to apply for the palliatives
The minister advised Nigerians who are interested in applying for the palliatives to visit the official portal, fedgrantandloan.gov.ng, and follow the instructions. She said that the portal is the only verified source of information and applications for the palliative programmes.
She also warned Nigerians not to pay anyone to process their applications, as the process is free and transparent. She said that anyone who demands money for the palliatives is a fraudster and should be reported to the authorities.
She assured Nigerians that the government is committed to prioritising the production of locally manufactured goods for exports and creating an enabling environment for small businesses to thrive.
How to report fake websites
You can report the fraudster to the authorities and get help from the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigerian Police Force is the law enforcement agency that investigates and prosecutes crimes in Nigeria. You can contact them at https://npf.gov.ng/information/emergency_number.php or by calling 112 or 199.