The Federal Government has released ₦5.12 billion naira to settle pension arrears owed to over ninety-thousand retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme. The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, confirmed the disbursement today, saying it was part of ongoing efforts to clear outstanding pension liabilities and improve the welfare of senior citizens.
PTAD noted that ₦276.03 million naira was paid to 8,626 pensioners in the Customs, Immigration, and Prisons Pension Department, while ₦619.58 million naira went to 9,681 retirees under the Police Pension Department. The directorate added that 12,773 pensioners in the Civil Service Pension Department received ₦408.73 million, and 59,609 beneficiaries in the Parastatals Pension Department were paid ₦3.81 billion.
PTAD emphasised that the payment reflected the government’s commitment to meeting its obligations as funds are made available, pledging to sustain the process until all verified arrears are cleared. The directorate assured retirees that their welfare remains a top priority and urged them to remain patient as it works with relevant authorities to address all outstanding claims.
The announcement came on the same day some pensioners, under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, staged a protest over unpaid entitlements. The demonstrators, drawn from agencies including the defunct Nigeria Telecommunications Limited, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, complained of pension arrears running up to 35 months and the non-payment of a ₦35,000 palliative.
