The Federal Government has provided major relief for Nigerian retirees by disbursing N3.9 billion in outstanding arrears to 91,146 pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme.
The payment, carried out through the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of a N32,000 pension increment, offering long-awaited financial support to thousands of retired workers nationwide.
The arrears were paid across multiple pension categories, including Parastatals, Civil Service, Police, and the Customs, Immigration and Prisons departments, signalling the government’s commitment to settling pension backlogs and enhancing retirees’ welfare.
A breakdown of the disbursement shows that N1.9 billion was allocated to 59,865 pensioners under the Parastatals Pension Department; N830 million to 12,976 Civil Service pensioners; N620 million to 9,689 Police retirees; and N551 million to 8,616 beneficiaries from the Customs, Immigration and Prisons services.
In a statement, PTAD’s Head of Corporate Communications, Olugbenga Ajayi, quoted the Executive Secretary, Tolulope Odunaiya, who highlighted the Federal Government’s renewed dedication to addressing outstanding liabilities.
She stated, “The completion of this payment is a clear demonstration of the administration’s commitment to improving pensioners’ welfare under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We remain focused on ensuring timely and consistent payment of pensions across all departments.”
Odunaiya noted that the payments reflect ongoing efforts to restore dignity and financial security to retirees who have patiently awaited their entitlements.
She stressed, “Our pensioners deserve timely payment, and we are working to ensure no eligible beneficiary is left behind. This is part of our ongoing strategy to eliminate arrears and enhance transparency in pension administration.”
Reassuring pensioners of continued support, the Executive Secretary added that the agency will keep monitoring the process to ensure prompt delivery of all outstanding benefits.
She concluded, “This payment is a significant step forward. But we remain committed to maintaining a system that guarantees consistent support for retirees nationwide.”
