Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has approved the payment of N5.81 billion in outstanding gratuities to retired civil servants and the families of deceased workers as part of efforts to improve the welfare of pensioners and honour public servants.

The governor presented the cheques on Friday at the Council Chamber of the Government House, Maiduguri, in the presence of leaders of organised labour and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP).

The latest disbursement is part of the Zulum administration’s efforts to clear pension liabilities. The government has maintained a monthly release of N200 million for gratuity payments, released N8 billion for pensioners’ entitlements and teachers’ gratuities in 2025, and disbursed N12 billion in 2020 to settle the gratuities of about 5,000 retired state and local government workers.

Governor Zulum explained that the first cheque, valued at N2,992,301,964.95, would clear all outstanding gratuities owed to the families of deceased civil servants, while the second cheque of N2,822,528,306.99 would settle gratuities for retirees up to December 2022, including outstanding payments to staff of the Borno State Housing Corporation dating back to 2013.

“In fulfilment of our campaign promises, we are presenting cheques worth about N5.81 billion to retired and deceased civil servants,” Zulum said.

He noted that many families of deceased civil servants had continued to struggle after losing their breadwinners.

“We have quite a number of civil servants who lost their lives, and their families are still battling with life’s challenges. We are presenting about N3 billion to the families of deceased civil servants so they can continue to live in peace and dignity.

“Civil servants who retired in 2022 will now receive their gratuities in full, after which we shall move to those who retired in 2023,” he added.

The Commissioner for Finance, Lawan Umar Dalorima, commended the governor for prioritising workers’ welfare despite competing financial demands.

He said the payment demonstrated the administration’s determination to honour those who devoted their productive years to the service of the state.

“This is another demonstration of your compassionate and people-centred leadership, where the welfare of citizens remains a top priority despite competing priorities,” Dalorima said.

Responding on behalf of organised labour, the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Mamman Bukar, described the payment as timely and impactful.

He said the settlement of the outstanding gratuities would ease the hardship faced by pensioners and the families of deceased workers while strengthening workers’ confidence in the government.

Zulum assures local government workers

Governor Zulum also assured local government employees that his administration would soon address issues affecting their welfare.

Speaking during the cheque presentation, he said the government was aware of the challenges confronting council workers and would engage their representatives to find lasting solutions.

“Borno State Government is very much aware of some of the problems facing local government employees. Very soon, we shall engage with you and see how we can address your challenges,” he said.

The governor identified the large workforce on local government payrolls as one of the major constraints to implementing broader welfare reforms.

He appealed to local government workers to remain patient, assuring them that the government would soon meet with their union leaders to discuss practical measures aimed at improving their welfare.