The Federal Government has released over ₦5.12 billion in pension arrears to 90,689 retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme.
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), confirmed the payment in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Olugbenga Ajayi, noting that the move is part of efforts to clear outstanding pension liabilities.
According to PTAD, pensioners in the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Department got ₦276 million, Police Pensioners received ₦619 million, Civil Service retirees got ₦408 million, while those in the Parastatals Pension Department took the largest share ₦3.8 billion.
PTAD added that the payment aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and follows earlier settlements, including the implementation of new pension rates and health insurance for pensioners.
The announcement came the same day members of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners protested in Lagos over unpaid entitlements, including up to 35 months’ arrears and a ₦35,000 palliative.
The demonstrators, from agencies including the defunct Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, accused the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, of delaying payments and demanded immediate action.