The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has disbursed N1.18bn in pension arrears over the past five years, benefiting thousands of retired federal workers. According to data from BudgIT’s GovSpend platform, the highest disbursement occurred in 2023, when N591.5m was paid. The payments are part of the government’s broader efforts to settle pension liabilities accumulated over the years.
The cleared arrears covered retired civil servants, university staff, and employees of defunct parastatals such as the Nigeria National Shipping Line and National Telecommunications. Key beneficiaries included retired permanent secretaries and former accountants general, with over N92m paid between July and October 2023. Additionally, in April 2024, N17.3m was disbursed for pension arrears owed to NITEL workers.
Despite these payments, pensioners continue to express concerns over delays and incomplete disbursements. In November 2024, pensioners staged a protest, urging the federal government to implement pension adjustments in line with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024. The Nigeria Union of Pensioners highlighted that many retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) had not received their benefits, despite repeated appeals to the Ministry of Finance.
In response, the Federal Government released N22bn in January 2025 through the Office of the Accountant-General to cover accrued pension rights for retirees from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The National Pension Commission (PenCom) confirmed that these funds were allocated to verified retirees and the beneficiaries of deceased employees.
While these efforts mark progress, outstanding pension arrears remain a major concern, with reports indicating that total backlogs owed by the federal and state governments have surpassed N193bn. Pensioners and stakeholders continue to push for timely and comprehensive settlements to address lingering financial challenges among retirees.
Source: punch