N32,000 pension increase implementation: Pensioners’ agitation and PTAD’s response

Weeks ago, some groups of pensioners threatened to protest over the recently approved N32,000 pension increment. Though the agitation seems to have calmed, many pensioners are still agitating. CHRISTIAN APPOLOS, in this report, examines the issues at stake and the position of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

On September 27, 2024, the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a N32,000 monthly pension increase for retirees under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS). The increment, which was backdated to July 29, 2024, followed the approval of the new N70,000 national minimum wage and was intended as part of the government’s efforts to cushion the economic hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal.

The agency responsible for managing this payment is the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), which commenced implementation in December 2024.

According to a circular signed by the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Ekpo Nta, the increment applies to pensioners under several federal salary structures, including the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Universities Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure II (CONTISS II), Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS), Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), Consolidated Para-Military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CON-POSS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICSS), Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS), and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).

The circular also stated that agencies not covered by these structures must approach the NSIWC to determine the applicable pension increase, in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the NSIWC Act. This increment forms part of the consequential adjustments arising from the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.

Fast-forward to July 2025. A group of pensioners, including NIPOST Ogun State Union, Voice of Nigeria, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Nigerian Television Authority, Nigerian Railway Corporation, the NUP Federal Civil Service Union at 16 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, and the Federal Civil Service Union at St. Gregory Road, Obalende, led by the NUP NIPOST Lagos Branch, sent a protest letter to PTAD. Dated July 8, 2025, the letter raised concerns over PTAD’s failure to include the N32,000 increment in their July monthly pensions.

In a chat with our reporter on the matter, Comrade Bunmi Ogunkolade, a senior staff member of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, stated: “The issue is that pensioners want the arrears cleared and the N32,000 increment reflected in their monthly payments. To be fair, PTAD recently held a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos with the agitating groups present. At that meeting, PTAD explained the reasons behind the delay in clearing arrears and incorporating the increase into regular monthly pensions.”

Reacting to the agitation and protest threats, Deputy National President of NUP, Chief Abdulahi Onu, reiterated the union’s preference for dialogue and constructive engagement over confrontation. “The NUP, which represents the collective interests of pensioners nationwide, is satisfied with PTAD’s clarifications and acknowledges ongoing efforts to clear outstanding arrears,” he stated.

Also discussing the issue, Elder Benjamin Amako, President-General of the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association (FEPPPAN), emphasized that the core concern among pensioners, including those who are not protesting, lies in the implementation pattern of the pension increase. He explained: “Pensioners are not accusing PTAD of withholding funds. The agitation in my opinion is targeted at gingering the Ministry of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation, and other relevant government agencies to urgently release funds so PTAD can do its part. The President has made a commendable pronouncement, and NSIWC has done its part, but without timely action from funding agencies, pensioners will continue to suffer the consequences. We must remember that this increase is a direct response to the hardship caused by fuel subsidy removal, and pensioners are among the most vulnerable groups and need this increment not just in principle, but in full implementation, meaning both the payment of arrears and inclusion in their monthly pensions. That’s the crux of the matter.”

Responding to the agitations in a phone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, PTAD’s Head of Corporate Communications, Olugbenga Ajayi, said the Directorate is not sleeping and rather, is actively addressing the concerns and working with relevant MDAs to resolve the funding challenges. “PTAD is ready to pay as soon as funds are made available. Our mode of operation is simple—once money is released, we pay immediately. We do not hold funds. The major challenge we face is that the national budget had already been passed before the President’s announcement. So, we’re hopeful this will be captured in a supplementary budget. Once the funds are allocated and directives received, the increase will be fully reflected in monthly pensions,” he said.

Ajayi added that PTAD is diligently engaging stakeholders to ensure that necessary funding is secured. He stressed that the perception being created by some aggrieved pensioners does not reflect the reality of the situation. “The truth is, none of the pensioners on PTAD’s payroll can say they haven’t received part of the arrears. The only issue is that payments haven’t been completed or added to their monthly pension yet. PTAD has been using leftover pension funds to offset the arrears in installments. Some pensioners have already received four, five, six, even seven months’ worth of arrears. We are doing this gradually to avoid an overwhelming backlog. And to be clear, the funds go directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the pensioners. PTAD does not hold or delay any payments,” Ajayi clarified.

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He expressed concern over what he described as a misrepresentation of facts by some protesting groups, insisting that PTAD had consistently paid the arrears it could, given the financial constraints.

Regarding eligibility, Ajayi emphasized: “The N32,000 increment is meant for all Defined Benefits Scheme pensioners who were not exempted by the NSIWC in the circular. PTAD has no power to exempt or include anyone. The agency operates strictly on government directives. So no pensioner eligible for the increase can truthfully say they haven’t received at least four months of arrears.” He described the continued agitation by certain pension groups as a distortion of the facts. “We’ve held direct meetings and engaged through union leaders, yet some of these pensioners continue to insist that the government has not paid the increment at all, which is untrue.”

As proof of PTAD’s commitment and gradual implementation of the pension increase, Ajayi revealed that on June 16, 2025, PTAD disbursed another round of arrears totaling N8.6 billion. The payment covered 148,625 eligible DBS pensioners across the Police, Civil Service, Parastatals, Customs, Immigration, and Prisons departments. The breakdown includes N5.7 billion paid to 59,342 pensioners under the Parastatals Pensions Department, N2.3 billion to 71,084 pensioners under the Civil Service Pensions Department, N310 million to 9,579 under the Police Pensions Department, and N276 million to 8,620 pensioners under the Customs, Immigration, and Prisons (now Correctional Service) Pensions Department.

While the agitation appears to have simmered down, it is clear that pensioners want more than promises—they want results. For Nigeria’s elderly retirees, especially under the harsh economic realities of the present, the N32,000 increment is not just a policy—it’s a lifeline. And until it is fully implemented, they will continue to demand action from those responsible.