Peter Obi, former Anambra governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has warned that Nigeria has a moral crisis in its hands if its pensioners go unpaid.
“Our pensioners, men and women who gave the most productive years of their lives in service to our country, have been pushed to contemplate a nationwide protest over unpaid arrears,” Obi said in a statement.
Last month, President Bola Tinubu announced that Nigeria had reached its 2025 revenue target.
If that is the case, Obi questioned, what does that mean if retirees still struggle to buy food or medicine? “If that is true, then the moral question is simple: why are our senior citizens still owed their rightful pensions and gratuities?”
Call for Dignity and Justice
Obi argued that revenue growth should not remain in government ledgers.
“The excess revenue we celebrate today must not remain on paper. It must be directed to settle our obligations to pensioners, to restore their dignity, and to assure the working population that Nigeria values their labour and service. Anything less is unjust and unacceptable.”
According to the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Nigeria had over ₦19 trillion in pension assets as of June 2025.
Yet, many retired civil servants report months or years without payment. The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) recently threatened street protests if government delays continue.
For Obi, the issue reveals a deeper challenge in Nigeria’s governance. “Good leadership and compassion are inseparable,” he said, insisting that leaders must prioritise human welfare over fiscal celebrations.
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