The National Pension Commission (PENCOM) has proposed an enhanced pension package for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as part of efforts to improve the welfare of retired officers.
The initiative is aimed at addressing long-standing complaints over poor pension payments and repeated agitations by police retirees seeking an exit from the CPS.
Under the proposed framework, retired police officers would receive monthly pensions equivalent to 100 per cent of their final salary for life. The proposal reflects one of the major demands consistently raised by serving and retired police personnel over the years.
The package also includes gratuity payments amounting to 200 per cent of annual emoluments, a move expected to significantly improve retirement benefits for officers after years of service. Stakeholders believe the arrangement could provide greater financial stability and dignity for retired personnel.
In addition, the Federal Government is expected to increase its pension contribution for serving police officers from the current 10 per cent to 20 per cent monthly, while employees will continue contributing eight per cent. The adjustment is expected to strengthen Retirement Savings Account (RSA) balances and improve pension payouts in the long term.
The proposed arrangement, which combines enhanced gratuity benefits with pensions tied to officers’ final salaries, is also expected to boost morale among serving officers. Analysts say the reforms could improve confidence in the pension system and enhance the overall welfare of police personnel.
If approved by President Bola Tinubu, the augmentation plan would underscore the Federal Government’s recognition of the critical role played by the police in maintaining national security and public order. It would also reinforce efforts to guarantee stability and financial security for officers after retirement.
Organised labour groups and pension advocates have argued that strengthening the existing CPS framework remains a more sustainable and transparent option than scrapping the scheme entirely.
According to them, leveraging the institutional experience of NPF Pensions Limited while improving welfare packages would better secure the future of serving and retired officers.
Police pensioners, however, have continued to express dissatisfaction with the current pension structure, insisting that the CPS has worsened their welfare. Many retirees claim they receive monthly pensions ranging from ₦30,000 to ₦80,000, while others describe their lump-sum benefits as inadequate.
Their frustration has also been fuelled by perceived disparities between the police and other security agencies such as the military and the Department of State Services, which were exempted from the CPS and returned to more favourable pension arrangements.
