The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has declared plans to hold a nationwide protest on December 8, accusing the Federal Government of failing to release long-awaited pension increments and palliative allowances approved for retirees since 2023. The group said the demonstrations are intended to spotlight the financial hardship being endured by thousands of retired workers who depend on monthly pension payments for basic survival.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday, Mukaila Ogunbote, the national chairman of the coalition and head of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) NIPOST chapter, explained that the protest is a last resort after months of unsuccessful engagement with relevant government agencies. According to him, several letters, appeals, and formal requests to the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation failed to produce any meaningful response or action toward implementing the approved payments.
Ogunbote said the protest would proceed unless the government immediately releases the arrears of a N32,000 pension increment and a N25,000 palliative payment approved by the former administration in 2023 to cushion rising living costs. He noted that the growing frustration among pensioners reflects not only delayed payments but also what he described as a lack of seriousness from government officials responsible for pension administration.
Retirees Accuse Government of Neglect
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Ogunbote accused government institutions of neglecting the welfare of pensioners despite multiple assurances. He urged retirees nationwide to participate in the demonstration to amplify the urgency of their demands.
“These institutions are not taking us seriously,” he said, calling for full mobilisation from pension chapter leaders across the states. According to him, many retired civil servants—some elderly, ill, or living with disabilities—have been pushed into financial distress due to the non-payment of the approved increments.
The planned protests will be staged in Abuja, Lagos, and state capitals across the Federation. Demonstrators are expected to converge on offices of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), the agency that manages pensions for retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). Protests will also be held at selected Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) centres, which the coalition believes will draw national attention to the pensioners’ grievances.
Ogunbote called on state and union leaders to “fully mobilize their members” and emphasised the symbolic importance of a unified front. Describing the protest as a reflection of deep economic hardship, he said many pensioners have no other source of income or support and have been pushed to the edge by inflation, rising healthcare costs, and the high price of essential goods.
“We must show the wound that our clothes are covering,” he said, in a metaphor highlighting the despair faced by pensioners whose struggles are not visible to the public.
He added that the demonstrations would continue until pensioners receive payment alerts for the outstanding allowances. For retirees unable to travel long distances, he advised bringing personal supplies to remain at protest locations for extended periods if necessary.
Background: Increment Approvals Amid Rising Pension Reform Efforts
The coalition’s threat of mass protest comes despite recent efforts by the Federal Government to address challenges in pension administration. In September 2025, PTAD confirmed it had begun implementing pension increments for retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme after the government released N20.188 billion in partial funding. The review included a flat-rate increase of N32,000, alongside percentage adjustments of 10.66% and 12.95%, reflecting in the September payroll for eligible pensioners.
PTAD said the adjustment followed the approval of an emergency budget intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support revised pension payments. However, the coalition argues that many retirees have still not received their full entitlements, creating confusion and widening distrust in the system.
In a parallel development, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) reported significant progress under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). PenCom said more than 552,000 retirees now receive their monthly pension through the CPS, and total pension assets have surpassed N25 trillion, underscoring the growing importance of Nigeria’s pension industry as a driver of investment and financial planning.
The Commission’s Director-General, Omolola Oloworaran, shared these updates in November during a sensitization workshop in Yola, designed to educate public sector workers and retirees in the North-East region about their pension rights and entitlements.
Outlook
As the December 8 protest date approaches, pressure is mounting on the Federal Government to resolve outstanding liabilities and avoid a nationwide demonstration that could expose deeper gaps in pension governance. The coalition maintains that the only acceptable resolution is the immediate payment of arrears owed to retirees, many of whom say they can no longer cope with rising living costs.
