The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has become a hotbed of agitation among retired civil servants, as pensioners lament the continued delay in the payment of long-overdue pension arrears.
Many of the elderly retirees are now pleading with the Federal Government to immediately implement the N758 billion Treasury Bond approved to settle outstanding liabilities under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Despite the bond’s approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February 2025 and subsequent endorsement by the Federal Executive Council, implementation has been sluggish. The National Assembly gave its nod to the bond’s execution on July 22, yet many pensioners say they are still waiting in uncertainty and hardship.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), several pensioners narrated their ordeals, calling on authorities to act swiftly and compassionately.
“We were filled with joy when the President first announced that the arrears would be paid,” said Hajiya Amina Lawal, a retiree. “But after months of waiting, our joy has turned into sorrow. Some of our colleagues have died waiting. We are too old to be protesting on the streets. This money is not a favour; it is our right.”
Mr. George Ose also shared a grim account of his current living conditions. “My family and I are hungry. I cannot afford to pay school fees for my children. My landlord is threatening to throw us out, and I can no longer access healthcare through the National Health Insurance Scheme. If you look into my eyes, you will see a man in pain. I never imagined that after serving my country, I would be reduced to this.”
For Mrs. Joy Adewale and her husband, who both retired in 2016, the years after retirement have been marked by struggle and indignity.
“We can barely feed ourselves with the little we receive. I tried to support my family by opening a soft drinks shop, but it was demolished by government officials. When I approached the company I bought products from for credit, they turned me away. Even my bank refused to grant me a loan because I’m a retiree,” she lamented.
Mrs. Adewale’s frustration was echoed in her emotional plea: “I have no one left to turn to. Only God is keeping us. I’m begging the government to pay us what we have worked for. Many of our colleagues have passed away. May their souls rest in peace. For those of us still alive, I pray we get the chance to enjoy the fruit of our labour before it’s too late.”
Mrs. Nkiru Offor, who retired in 2019, noted that although her entitlements began arriving two years after retirement, the payments are far from sufficient.
“My biggest challenge is medical care. Once I retired, my NHIS access was terminated. Now, I spend so much on lab tests and drugs. Even the private NHIS package I enrolled in for N50,000 hasn’t worked — they say my payment hasn’t dropped for the past three months. So I still have no access to affordable treatment.”
Mr. Evans Ubah also called for urgent government intervention, stating that pensioners across the country are being neglected. “Just look at my face — it’s hunger. We’re starving. Every year we hear that pension fund assets have grown, yet pensioners are still suffering. The Constitution says pensions should be reviewed every five years in line with salary increases, but that provision is being ignored.”
The pensioners argue that the government has no excuse for further delay now that all legal and administrative approvals for the N758 billion Treasury Bond are in place. They urge the Tinubu administration to match policy with action by releasing and disbursing the funds immediately.
For many of these senior citizens, time is not on their side. As they await relief, their collective message is clear: they want to live their remaining years in dignity, not despair.