The National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have entered a strategic partnership to recover unremitted pension contributions and strengthen compliance with pension regulations.
The collaboration was sealed in Abuja on Tuesday with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which sets out a coordinated framework for enforcement, fund recovery and prosecution of defaulting employers.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director-General of PenCom, Omolola Oloworaran, described the agreement as a landmark step towards reinforcing integrity and accountability in pension administration.
“This ceremony goes far beyond the signing of a document. It signifies a shared moral and institutional commitment, one rooted in our collective resolve to strengthen transparency and ensure the judicious management of pension fund assets,” she said.
Oloworaran explained that the MoU mandated the prompt transfer of recovered funds into contributors’ retirement savings accounts (RSAs) and provides for legal action against employers who fail to remit deductions. To drive the collaboration, both agencies have appointed focal officers – the Director of Operations for ICPC and the Director of Surveillance for PenCom – to lead joint operations in data sharing, investigations, and enforcement.
The PenCom boss lamented persistent challenges in the pension system, including unapplied contributions under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and unremitted liabilities by employers. According to her, such lapses endanger the financial security of workers who depend on their retirement savings.
“Our duty, both as regulators and anti-corruption enforcers, is to ensure that this trust is never broken. Every naira deducted by employers must be remitted, and every contribution must be properly accounted for,” she declared.
Oloworaran commended the ICPC’s leadership for its collaboration, describing the partnership as a moral imperative to protect the interests of Nigerian workers.
“Together, we are showing that public institutions can and must work in concert for the good of the people. This partnership is not an end, but a new beginning—one that will deepen transparency, rebuild trust, and safeguard the future of millions of Nigerian workers,” she said.
Representing ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Aliyu, the Commission’s Secretary, Clifford Oparaodu, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to the initiative.
He said the ICPC would combine public enlightenment with enforcement to ensure that employers understand their obligations and face consequences for defaulting.
The partnership is expected to boost compliance across sectors, particularly in the private sector, where cases of non-remittance have been most prevalent.
Earlier this month, Oloworaran disclosed that monthly pension payments under the Commission’s Pension Boost 1.0 initiative rose to N14.83 billion in June 2025, benefitting over 241,000 retirees, about 80 per cent of those under the programmed withdrawal arrangement.
