By Isaiah Eka
The National Pension Commission (PenCom), on Wednesday, says that it aimed at educating the federal workers and pensioners to deepen their trust in Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) reforms to reap benefits.
Ms Omolola Oloworaran, the Director General of PenCom, made the remark in Uyo during the sensitisation of stakeholders across the South-South geopolitical zone on the workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) reforms.
Delivering a keynote address, she added that the sensitisation was also to ensure that every federal employee and pensioners fully understood the CPS and could access its benefits without delay.
Oloworaran, represented by Mr Usman Musa, PenCom Director, Contribution and Bond Redemption Department, said that plans were underway to reintroduce gratuity for federal civil servants to complement the current contributory pension scheme.
The DG said that the move would be one of the key interventions meant to improve the scheme and make the lives of pensioners better.
She disclosed that the event was jointly convened by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) for PenCom Desk Officers in the South-South region.
“The gathering here is not just another meeting; it is a continuation of a national conversation, one that directly impacts the lives, dignity, and future of millions of Nigerian workers and retirees.
“Over the last two decades, the Contributory Pension Scheme has rewritten Nigeria’s pension story.
“We have moved from an era defined by unpaid entitlements and uncertainty to a new order anchored on transparency, sustainability, and inclusiveness.
“It will therefore provide practical solutions and clarity on the modalities for the upcoming 2026 retiree enrolment exercise and the planned one-off enrolment of all employees of treasury-funded MDAs entitled to accrued pension rights,” she said.
Oloworaran added that pension assets in the country had grown to over ₦25 trillion with regular monthly pensions for over 552, 000 retirees and lump sum benefits for an additional 291, 735 retirees.
She said that working with the Office of the Head of Civil Service, and a framework had been developed to restore gratuity benefits for federal workers under CPS, in line with Section 4(4) of the PRA 2014.
The DG stated that over 241, 000 retirees, representing 80 per cent of those under Programmed Withdrawal, monthly pensions rose from ₦12.157 billion to ₦14. 837 billion.
According to her, other interventions include, zero waiting time for pension payments, FGN Bond Issuance for Pension Liabilities, among others.
In his remarks, Mr Ekpo Nta, Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), said that the country had introduced far reaching reforms in pension administration and management to ensure prompt payment of pension to retirees.
Nta, represented by Mr Akin Abe, Head of Compensation Department, said that pension was central to the effective and efficient operation of any organisation.
In a goodwill message, Mallam Issa-Onilu, Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), said that the sensitisation workshop by PenCom and NSIWC was a policy that would build stakeholders’ confidence.
Issa-Onilu, represented by Mrs Hannah Moffat, Deputy Director in charge of Pension in NOA, said the Agency would be integrating the messages from the workshop in their enlightenment campaigns nationwide.
He said the sensitisation was a commendable effort to bridge knowledge gaps on the workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and the Online Enrolment Exercise.
“It is our responsibility to promote government policies, National Values, Security Awareness, Disaster Preparedness, and the Nigerian Identity.
“I must commend PENCOM and NSIWC as this is a policy under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration that will build stakeholder-confidence in government and its policies,” Issa-Onilu said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants at the workshop were drawn from federal MDAs across the six South-South states. NAN
