By Atoyebi Nike
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says free health insurance for retirees will begin later this year, starting with low-income pensioners. Director-General Omolola Oloworaran, represented by Usman Musa, announced this on Wednesday in Abuja during a workshop on the Contributory Pension Scheme.
She said the initiative is part of PenCom’s “Pension Revolution 2.0,” aimed at strengthening social protection and improving the welfare of retirees beyond monthly pension payments.
According to PenCom, over 10 million Nigerians are now enrolled in the CPS, with pension assets exceeding N25 trillion. More than 844,000 retirees currently receive benefits.
Oloworaran highlighted recent reforms, including the Pension Boost 1.0, which increased monthly pensions for 241,000 retirees, and the Federal Government’s approval of N758bn in bonds to clear longstanding pension arrears.
She added that PenCom is working with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to reintroduce gratuity payments for federal workers as provided in the Pension Reform Act.
Officials at the workshop praised the reforms, noting they mark a major step in safeguarding retirees’ dignity and financial security.
