₦5.12 billion in pension arrears has been disbursed by the Federal Government, FG, to 90,689 retirees.
The fund was disbursed through the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) as the defined benefit scheme (DBS).
PTAD, who made this known in a statement on its X page on Monday said the disbursement is part of the FG’s effort to settle outstanding pension liabilities.
The statement, which was obtained by the Port City News, was signed by Olugbenga Ajayi, PTAD Head of Corporate Communications.
Ajayi said the funds were distributed across four pension departments.
According to Ajayi, the departments are Customs, Immigration, and Prisons Pension Department (CIPPD), Police Pension Department, Civil Service Pension Department and Parastatals Pension Department.
The CIPPD disbursed ₦276.03 million to 8,626 pensioners, the Police Pension Department paid ₦619.58 million to 9,681 pensioners, the Civil Service Pension Department allocated ₦408.74 million to 12,773 retirees while the Parastatals Pension Department distributed ₦3.81 billion to 59,609 retirees.
The payment, Ajayi noted, reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu administration’s commitment to make sure pensioners receive their entitlements.
The payment was disbursed after the protest of retirees from various agencies, including the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (Nitel), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
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According to Ajayi, the retirees during their demonstration demanded payment of up to 35 months of pension arrears and a ₦35,000 palliative.
Two days after the protest, Tinubu approved measures aimed at improving the welfare of DBS pensioners which include immediate extra-budgetary allocation.
The extra-budgetary allocation was to enforce new pension rates and as well as approval of a proposal for a pension harmonisation policy to be included in the 2026 budget.
Other approved reforms by Tinubu include a new pension rate of ₦32,000 and incremental increases for pensioners from defunct and privatised agencies and health insurance coverage for all DBS pensioners.
He also directed that unpaid liabilities owed to NITEL/MTEL pensioners be included in the 2026 budget.
Ajayi said the President’s approval came after the PTAD request to address pension reforms.
