PTAD Clears ₦1.73bn Pension Arrears, Over 54,000 Retireea. By Raymond Enoch
Relief has finally come for thousands of Nigerian pensioners as the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) announced the full payment of outstanding arrears tied to the ₦32,000 pension increment. In a major financial disbursement, the agency paid a total of ₦1.73 billion to 54,206 retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), effectively closing a long-standing gap in pension payments.
The development was confirmed in a press statement signed by Head of Corporate Communications, Olugbenga Ajayi, who detailed the breakdown and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to pensioners’ welfare. According to the statement, the payment marks the final settlement of the one-month balance from the ₦32,000 increment approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, which took effect from July 29, 2024.
A closer look at the figures shows that pensioners under the Parastatals Pension Department received ₦825.7 million, covering 25,804 beneficiaries. Meanwhile, 28,402 retirees under the Tertiary Education and Health Pension Department were paid ₦908.8 million. With this, both groups have now received their full 13-month arrears, spanning August 2024 to August 2025.
PTAD explained that the arrears had been paid in phases over the past year, with 12 months already settled between December 2024 and December 2025. The latest payment completes the cycle, ensuring no outstanding balance remains.
However, the Directorate clarified that not all pensioners were eligible for the increment. Retirees from institutions such as the defunct Peoples Bank, NITEL/MTEL, PHCN, and others were excluded, having already benefited from separate pension increases of 10.66 percent and 12.95 percent.
The agency emphasized that the move aligns with the federal government’s broader commitment to improving the welfare of retirees. It also reflects ongoing reforms aimed at ensuring transparency, accuracy, and timely pension payments.
For many pensioners, this payment is more than just money—it is long-awaited relief in the face of rising living costs and economic pressure. With the arrears now fully settled, attention will likely shift to sustaining regular and prompt pension payments in the months ahead.
