State governments across Nigeria must contribute to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) before their public sector retirees can become eligible for the newly introduced Minimum Pension Guarantee, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) announced on Tuesday.
​The Director-General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Bridget Oloworaran, disclosed this during the official unveiling of the Presidential Pension Security Initiatives on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
The event marked the rollout of a ₦52,500 monthly minimum pension floor alongside PenCare, a healthcare intervention program designed to assist low-income pensioners with essential medical expenses. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was represented at the ceremony by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
​Addressing the long-term viability of the initiative, Ms. Oloworaran emphasized that state compliance is a non-negotiable prerequisite for access to the fund.
She stated that PenCom is making it a requirement for states to contribute to the Pension Protection Fund before becoming eligible for the minimum pension guarantee, adding that modalities will be worked out at the state level to ensure the fund remains sustainable.
​The Director-General also clarified that the welfare program extends beyond federal workers to encompass the private sector. She pointed out that 54 percent of retirees currently falling below the minimum pension floor are from the private sector, with over 65 percent of private-sector retirees earning less than ₦52,500 monthly.
​With over ₦400 billion currently standing in the Pension Protection Fund, the initiative establishes an immediate financial safety net for 173,209 eligible retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Delivering the presidential address, Senate President Godswill Akpabio highlighted that the administration is fulfilling statutory provisions outlined in Sections 82 and 84 of the Pension Reform Act of 2014, effectively resolving years of delay in enforcing the Minimum Pension Guarantee.
PenCom confirmed it is actively establishing operational frameworks to facilitate seamless state-level integration and preserve the fund’s stability.
