Two years after being removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), workers of the National Assembly Service Commission are pushing for their return. Their demand was presented on Tuesday during a stakeholder meeting on the review of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014, held in Abuja by the House of Representatives Committee on Pensions.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, submitted a memorandum to the committee stating that management has had a change of heart and now wants to rejoin the CPS, despite the establishment of a separate pension board for the Service.
In April 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Assembly Service Pensions Board (Establishment) Act, which exempted Assembly staff from the PRA and set up an independent pension board. However, the law has not yet been implemented.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Pensions, Hussaini Jalo, said the review of the PRA is necessary to address new challenges and update the law to reflect current realities. He encouraged stakeholders to identify specific areas that need amending.
Representatives from the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), the Military Pensions Board and the Nigeria Police Force attended the session.
PenCom expressed support for the proposed review and recommended changes to improve retirement benefits and lump sum payments. The Commission also pledged to work with lawmakers to ensure a smooth amendment process.
Committee member Oluwole Oke warned against rushing the review and emphasized strengthening PenCom’s regulatory powers. He assured that the National Assembly is committed to reforms that protect Nigerian workers.
PTAD requested legal recognition as a corporate body in the revised law to improve its operations. Meanwhile, PenOp CEO Oguche Agudah said the review is long overdue and necessary for transparency, sustainability, and broader CPS coverage, noting that only six states currently comply fully with the scheme.