As of June 1, 2025, Nigeria’s population is 237 million people, based on Worldometer’s elaboration of the latest United Nations data. Placing Nigeria as the 6th most populous in the world, with a median age at 18 years, and 54.9 per cent of the population residing in urban areas.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is grappling with backlog of depreciating value of unpaid and rising pension and gratuity arrears with federal government pension liabilities in respect to the Contributory Pension Scheme as at February 2025 estimated at an alarming N758bn based on the bond to be issued according to PenCom.
For those on the Defined Benefit Scheme and other unconstitutional schemes it is unknown, while 21 states owe a total of N790bn as at October 2023 according to media reports. Only the Almighty GOD knows the total combine outstanding figure for the federal government workers, 36 states plus the 774 local government areas as at date!
Soaring inflation at above 26 per cent, rising cost of food prices at above 40 per cent with 31million people projected to be food insecure by August 2025. About 63 per cent of Nigerians that is 133 million face multi dimensional poverty. Removal of electricity subsidy with grid power at a persistent below 4500MW level, a humongous total public debt of N187 trillion by end of 2025 though Nigerians have been told that the government has paid $3.4 billion to the IMF but at the same time Nigerans are told that approval from the National Assembly in the sum of N34 trillion is being sought as at May 2025.
Youth unemployment according to the National Bureau of Statistics increasing to 7.2 per cent from where or what? And removal of fuel subsidy to help the government stop borrowing was removed as early as May 2023. In respect to underemployment no one has an idea. A significant infrastructure deficit but with the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway costing N4bn as against N8bn per kilometre according to the Minister of Works, is sure a highway to people’s pocket! Communal and religious crisis, banditry and kidnapping showing no sign of abetting with some 90 Chibok girls still unaccounted for 10 years after, while the global figure of those still in captivity is a predicament. Refusal to give local scholarship to Nigerian students and forcing them into debt slavery from age of puberty.
Lack of drugs and medical facilities,lack of pipe borne and bore hole water. Threats of mass sacking and a top-up of the minimum wage to a paltry N70,000 based on a so-called-lack-of-resources. Refusal to provide basic required educational facilities at all levels of the educational sector and forcing pupils to pay for WAEC, NECO and JAMB exams meanwhile NASS members got N160million SUV to drive around town.naira exchanging for dollar/N1,588 according to Bloomberg as at June 1,2025 with CBN interest rates at a height of 27 per cent.
Meanwhile the federal and state governments have continued to grant extravagant and substantial pension entitlements to their unpatriotic former leaders who hold sway in Abuja or the capitals of the 36 states of Nigeria, exacerbating the economic challenges faced by ordinary citizens.
These former dim wit’s ex-this and ex-that either half alive or stone-cold dead continue to enjoy opulent and extravagant pensions at the expense of Nigeria and Nigerian taxpayers.
Let’s delve into the details
A tale of injustice
Across different states, pensioners face immense challenges. These elderly citizens, who dedicated their active years to civil service, now find themselves in dire straits and the stark contrast between the lives of retired civil servants and the luxury pensions enjoyed by ex-presidents and their vices together with ex-governors and their deputies is crystal clear and paint a picture of wanton pillage of scarce resources by those that happen to find themselves in privileged positions. While pensioners struggle to access their meagre and wretched entitlements after decades of service.
The narratives are that unpaid Pensioners are owed substantial sums, some dating back to several years. Despite serving meritoriously for up to 35 years, they are yet to receive their rightful entitlements. Their cries are a sight to behold with some congregating in front of the government houses, holding placards that read, “Wicked, pay us our pensions” and “ fear God and pay our money.”
While many pensioners are bedridden or suffer from illnesses due to the stress caused by non-payment of depreciated gratuities and pension arrears. The number of pensioners that lost their lives waiting in line for pension are in hundreds while other hundreds are sick. These are the scenes that play out in other states with backlog pensions.
On the other hand, former state leaders who served for at most eight years live in luxury, shielded by generous and lavish pension packages.
The flood gate of opulent pension laws
The Nigerian Constitution, specifically Section 84 (5-6): provides that any person who has held office as President or Vice-president shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent President or Vice-president.
The Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) Law No 11 of 2007 of Lagos state was the first to implement such a pension law in 2007, signed by the then Governor weeks before he exits his two-term tenure. The laws granted life pensions and other benefits to former ex this and ex that.
As of now, at least 22 states in Nigeria have enacted similar pension laws that provide lavish benefits to their former Ex’s. These states include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Imo, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Yobe, and Zamfara etc. With some saying they have repelled them or reviewed them lower, to levels that are still insignificant or merely a smokescreen.
Meanwhile the same Nigerian Constitution, specifically Section 210 (3), promises civil servants in states across Nigeria that their respective state governments would review pensions every five years. However, the implementation of these pension reviews remains an unfulfilled constitutional promise.
Daylight robbery
These laws provide almost same entitlement to ex this and ex that and include:
A house each in preferred locations within their states and / or Abuja.
Average of two to six new cars every three or four years.
100 per cent of the incumbent basic salary.
Free health care for the beneficiary and family members local and abroad.
Furniture allowance, house maintenance allowance, utility allowance, car maintenance allowance, and entertainment allowance.
Personal assistants, policemen, and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives for life.
Thirty days of annual vacation within and outside Nigeria. These amounts will be reviewed when there is an increase in the salary of the serving incumbent, and etc.
Don’t forget while in office, the nation and states paid for even the toothpick, they use to remove a piece of ill-gotten meat they eat. With some receiving double emoluments.
The question is, what have they done to deserve such magnificent loot?
Turning a blind eye
The disparity between the benefits enjoyed by former public officials and the dire economic conditions faced by the majority of Nigerians is as wide and as deep as heaven and earth. Organisations like the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have been vocal in their opposition, pushing for legal challenges and reforms to end this insanity. All this you ask, where is NLC and TUC with their crazy drive for wage increase!
In 2019, a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, ordered the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly.
What is wrong with Nigeria!
The International Convention Against Corruption such as: United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), encourages member states to adopt measures that prevent corruption, including transparent management of public funds.
While the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Principles of Public Administration, emphasises integrity, transparency, and accountability in public administration. And closer home, the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, as contained in Part I of the Third and Fifth schedules of the 1999 Constitution: Prohibits Use of Official Position for personal gain and Conflict of Interest tendencies. Etc.
So, Nigerians are asking what is next? It looks like the International Criminal Court of Justice is the ideal place for them!
Rabiu is a monitoring and evaluation epecialist on policy, finance, risk, politics, good governance and an Advocate for Sustainable Development and wrote from Kaduna.
