THE Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) is seeking a stakeholders’ meeting with the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to clarify the implementation of pension harmonisation and address other issues affecting pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).
The association said regular engagement with PTAD would enable pensioners to obtain explanations on policy decisions and programmes affecting their welfare, particularly pension harmonisation, which took effect in January 2026, according to information presented at its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
NEC-in-session expressed concern over the implementation of the exercise and insisted that its terms and process should be clarified. It, therefore, called for the government circular on the harmonisation exercise to justify PTAD’s position.
The demand was among the issues raised at FEPPPAN’s NEC meeting in Abuja on 22, where NEC-in-session also called for continuous engagement with PTAD ahead of the planned relaunch of the I Am Alive pension verification platform.
In a communiqué after the meeting and signed by the association’s president-general, Elder Benjamin Maisamari Amako, and general secretary, Mr Franklin Erinle, FEPPPAN called for a structured and regular engagement mechanism with PTAD to strengthen communication, improve pension administration and facilitate the timely resolution of complaints.
The communiqué stated that sustained engagement between the Directorate and pensioners’ representatives would provide an effective channel for identifying challenges, addressing complaints and improving service delivery.
NEC-in-session urged PTAD to strengthen consultations with FEPPPAN on pension payments, outstanding entitlements, pension records, healthcare enrolment and other administrative issues affecting the association’s members.
It proposed regular stakeholder meetings at mutually agreed intervals, supported by an effective mechanism for documenting complaints, tracking unresolved cases and communicating progress to affected pensioners.
The association also demanded clear information on the requirements for accessing pension-related services and the procedures for resolving complaints, particularly where elderly, sick or physically incapacitated retirees require additional assistance.
On pension harmonisation, it called for further clarification on its implementation, stressing that the exercise should result in increases in monthly pension benefits for all pensioners.
For pensioners from self-funding organisations suxb, NEC-in-session appealed to the management of such agencies, including aviation agencies, to be magnanimous in harmonising the pensions of their retirees.
The position underscores the need for PTAD to explain the objectives, implementation arrangements and implications of harmonisation to affected pensioners, many of whom depend on their monthly entitlements to meet their basic needs amid rising living costs.
FEPPPAN’s demand for a stakeholders’ meeting is intended to provide a platform for addressing these concerns, obtaining explanations from the relevant authorities and ensuring that pensioners’ interests are considered in decisions affecting their retirement benefits.
The association also stressed the need for continuous engagement between PTAD and pensioners ahead of the relaunch of the I Am Alive verification platform.
NEC-in-session called for arrangements to ensure that no eligible pensioner was left out when the platform becomes operational again, particularly retirees who might require assistance to complete the verification process.
It maintained that effective communication and appropriate support mechanisms would help pensioners comply with verification requirements without unnecessary difficulties.
Beyond these concerns, NEC-in-session commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the timely payment of monthly pensions to DBS pensioners, recognising the importance of regular payments to retirees’ welfare, dignity and financial security.
The NEC appealed to the President to sustain the record of timely payment and ensure that pensioners continued to receive their monthly entitlements promptly and without interruption. And also direct the immediate payment of the 3 months N25,000 subsidy removal palliative for vulnerable citizens.
It also urged the Federal Government and relevant agencies to expedite the settlement of all verified outstanding pension entitlements owed to eligible retirees.
On healthcare, FEPPPAN called on PTAD, in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), to ensure that eligible pensioners could access the Pensioner Health Insurance Scheme through a simple, seamless and inclusive enrolment process.
NEC-in-session expressed concern that administrative and technological barriers could prevent some eligible pensioners, particularly elderly, sick and physically incapacitated retirees, from completing enrolment and accessing healthcare benefits.
It therefore urged the authorities to introduce assisted registration, accessible physical enrolment facilities and appropriate support for pensioners who could not travel because of age, illness or disability.
NEC-in-session also called for a mechanism to identify eligible pensioners who had yet to enrol and help them complete the process, stressing that no eligible retiree should be denied access to the scheme because of difficulties with registration, verification or other administrative procedures.
It further advocated an effective complaints mechanism to address enrolment difficulties and other challenges encountered by pensioners accessing healthcare services.
FEPPPAN reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with the Federal Government, PTAD and other relevant institutions to promote transparent and efficient pension administration.
The association maintained that pensioners who had completed their years of service to the nation deserved a retirement marked by dignity, financial security and access to essential services.