The National Pension Commission has commenced an online enrolment exercise for civil servants employed before Nigeria adopted the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2004.
The programme, which started on February 2, 2026, and will end on July 31, 2026, is aimed at capturing accurate records of eligible workers entitled to pension benefits accrued under the old Defined Benefit Scheme.
The renewed verification exercise follows concerns that many eligible workers have yet to complete the process despite repeated notices from government authorities.
In a circular dated April 27, 2026, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation directed treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure full compliance and mobilise affected employees.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the exercise is necessary to determine the federal government’s actual pension liabilities and support adequate budgetary planning for accrued rights.
Workers covered under the programme are employees of treasury-funded MDAs who were in service before June 30, 2004, and later migrated to the Contributory Pension Scheme under the Pension Reform Act 2014.
Their accrued pension obligations are expected to be settled through the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
To streamline the process, PenCom introduced a digital platform known as the Contributions and Bond Redemption Application, replacing previous manual systems affected by delays, incomplete records and verification challenges.
The platform allows real-time data capture and validation while incorporating biometric verification and employment record checks.
Industry analysts described the initiative as a major step toward improving transparency and efficiency in the management of pension liabilities across government institutions.
The exercise has been divided into phases to reduce congestion and improve coordination.
The first phase, which ended March 31, covered workers expected to retire between January 2027 and December 2029.
The second phase, currently ongoing, targets employees expected to retire from January 2030 onward and will run until July 31.
Under the arrangement, MDAs are required to upload details of eligible workers on the COBRA platform, while affected employees must visit their Pension Fund Administrators with relevant documents for enrolment.
PenCom-trained Pension Desk Officers are expected to coordinate the process within government agencies and assist workers through the verification exercise.
PenCom said participation in the programme would enable accurate computation of pension rights and guide adequate government funding for retirement benefit obligations.
