Niger State Pension Board has disclosed that it has spent ?5 billion out of the ?9.1 billion budgeted for pension payments between January and August 2025.
The Permanent Secretary of the Board, Malam Habib Abdulkadir, made this known during the presentation of the Board’s proposed 2026 budget to the Niger State Planning Commission at the Women Multipurpose Hall, Old Secretariat, Minna.
Abdulkadir stated that pension payments were up to date, except for retirees who were still undergoing biometric capture.
He added that the number of retirees continues to grow monthly, requiring constant review and estimates.
He also noted that deaths among pensioners were minimal, attributing this to the ongoing ‘I Am Alive’ verification exercise, which helps identify deceased beneficiaries.
Following the presentation, the screening committee of the Planning Commission raised several observations, including inconsistencies in the staff lists from state and local governments, as well as the non-submission of monthly expenditure records from January to August.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Planning Commission, Hajiya Aishatu Tani Usman, explained that the exercise was part of the annual budget preparation process for ministries, departments, and agencies. She said all requirements must be met before the final budget presentation.
Usman commended the Pension Board for its presentation and directed it to submit its record of achievements for the outgoing year, 2025.
The session was attended by officials from the Bureau of Statistics, the Office of the Head of Service, and the State Planning Commission.