President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a series of sweeping measures aimed at improving the welfare of Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners, including budgetary allocation for the implementation of a N32,000 pension increment, healthcare coverage, and the settlement of outstanding arrears.
The development, described by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) as part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and a historic turning point in pension administration, followed a formal submission to the Presidency by the Executive Secretary, Tolulope Odunaiya. The request sought an emergency budgetary allocation to implement pension increments, harmonisation for all DBS pensioners, enrolment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the settlement of accrued unfunded liabilities.
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According to a statement signed by PTAD’s Head of Corporate Communications Unit, Olugbenga Ajayi, “Following this request, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has magnanimously approved the measures for immediate implementation.”
The approval, PTAD further said, includes “Additional budgetary allocation for the full implementation of the new pension rates. Adoption of the proposed Pension Harmonization policy for DBS Pensioners in the 2026 Pension Budget. Provision of Health Insurance coverage for all DBS Pensioners under the 2026 Pension Budget. Inclusion of the balance of inherited unfunded pension liabilities owed to pensioners of NITEL/MTEL and accrued pension arrears of other parastatal pensioners in the 2026 Budget Propos”.
Expressing profound appreciation to the President, PTAD’s Executive Secretary, Tolulope Odunaiya, said the approvals “reflect the President’s steadfast commitment to the welfare of Nigeria’s senior citizens” and mark “a turning point in DBS Pension Administration.”
She described the move as “a testament to the Renewed Hope Agenda’s focus on equity, social justice, and the dignity of our pensioners,” adding that it “cements the position of Mr. President as the leader who ushered a new era of far-reaching and impactful welfare benefits for pensioners under the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.”
The Directorate noted that the reforms will be implemented in phases, in collaboration with relevant government agencies, while reassuring all DBS pensioners of its “continued dedication and unwavering commitment to their welfare.”
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