The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has revealed that it is pushing to deepen the adoption of Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) among subnationals, noting that 29 states are yet to fully implement the scheme.

Director General of PenCom, Omolola Oloworaran made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday during a consultative meeting for Heads of Service of states yet to fully implement CPS.

Daily Trust reports that statistics from PenCom showed that Lagos, Kaduna, Delta, Ekiti, Osun, Edo, Jigawa and the Federal Capital Territory are fully implementing the CPS.

While addressing the participants, the PenCom DG said, “In this room are leaders from 29 states. 29 states that are yet to fully implement the contributory pension scheme or any approved pension reform framework. Your presence here is not ceremonial but a statement of intent. It signals that together we are ready to move pension reform from the pages of legislation to the lives of public servants.

“Pension reform is not a matter of choice. It is not a debate and it is not optional. It is a fiscal imperative and a statutory obligation. It is a constitutional duty rooted in section 210 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which guarantees the pension rights of every civil servant in this country, including those who serve at the state level. The contributory pension scheme was not designed for convenience.

“It was designed because the old system failed and failed miserably. It was designed to replace uncertainty with certainty, liability with sustainability, opacity with transparency, But adoption of a new law does not deliver a pension, implementation does,” she said

While breaking down the figures, she noted that “six states have bills before their assemblies awaiting passage.”

“I am hopeful and remain confident that these six states will pass this bill this year. But here’s a figure that I ask you to hold in your minds today,” she added.

According to her, “Out of the 36 states with pension reform laws on their books, only seven states, together with the Federal Capital Territory, are fully implementing these laws. Yes, just seven. That leaves 23 states whose laws are written, inactive or only partially being implemented.”

“23 states set of public servants or civil servants whose retirement future hangs in the balance, not because there is no law, but because the law has not been activated. That is the gap that we are here to close. Distinguished participants, this consultative session brings together the 29 states that need to act and act decisively,” Oloworaran further explained.

She also announced that all outstanding pension liabilities have now been settled.

“In 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved and released the sum of N758 billion to settle all outstanding pension liabilities. And I can say today without any fear of being misquoted that there are no outstanding pension liabilities today at the federal level.

“This is a reaffirmation of this administration’s commitment to the welfare, the dignity, and the financial security of every Nigerian who has served this country,” she added.

Also speaking, the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the discussions at the Forum would center around implementation in the states.

“As rightly said, most of the states have the law in place, and it is just about implementation. I believe PENCOM has the technical know-how to support the sub-nationals to implement this law that is key for the welfare of civil servants.

“We are taking a whole-of-government approach to ensure that what civil servants at the federal level are enjoying should trickle down, to the states,” she added. (Daily Trust)

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