President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed the relevant directorate in the Presidency to include a comprehensive plan for pension arrears in the 2026 national budget, signalling a renewed focus by the federal government to address long-standing liabilities to retirees.
In a directive issued through the presidency’s budget and planning apparatus, the President called for a full audit of outstanding pension obligations and a clear schedule for clearing arrears. The instruction requests that the directorate prepare detailed line items within the 2026 Appropriation Bill that explicitly identify funding for pension backlog clearance, accompanied by a timeline for disbursement and mechanisms for verifying beneficiaries.
Government sources explained that the move seeks to resolve a perennial source of social disquiet by ensuring that pensioners — many of whom have endured delayed payments for years — receive overdue entitlements in an orderly and transparent manner. The President’s instruction also requires that the directorate coordinate with state governments and the various pension administrators to reconcile records and avoid double payments.
Budget analysts welcomed the directive but cautioned that funding pension arrears must be balanced against competing fiscal pressures. They recommended that the government explore a mix of targeted budgetary allocations and improved revenue mobilisation to avoid crowding out essential capital spending. Observers say that a sustainable solution will also require better record-keeping, tighter payroll controls and greater enforcement of pension contribution remittance by employers.
Officials in the presidency pledged that the 2026 budget presentation will reflect the administration’s commitment to social protection and that pensioners will be kept apprised of planned disbursement timelines once the budgeting process is complete.
