The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has revealed its commitment to ensuring that public service retirees benefit from pension increments in line with the Nigerian Constitution. Acting Director General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Oloworararan, stated that efforts are underway to address this issue, with a focus on retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and other pension arrangements.
The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria guarantees periodic pension reviews every five years, but the Federal Government and the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) have yet to comply with this provision. As a result, the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has called for these rights to be enforced, with civil society organizations urging legal action to compel the government to act.
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NUP Secretary for the Northern region, Alhassan Musa, described the situation of retirees as "pathetic," noting that only Kaduna State has implemented a N30,000 minimum pension. Musa expressed hope that a 50% increment will be approved nationwide, especially with the new N70,000 national minimum wage in effect, so that no pensioner earns less than that amount.
Retirees under the CPS continue to face significant delays in receiving their benefits, with some waiting over a decade. Musa emphasized the need for the Federal Government to address these challenges, ensuring that pensioners enjoy the same benefits as workers under the current minimum wage structure.
