After years of delay, Niger begins gratuity payment

Niger State, Nigeria, has commenced the payment of long-overdue gratuities and death benefits, marking a significant step in addressing a substantial backlog that has affected state and local government retirees. The Niger State Pension Board has initiated the disbursement process, aiming to provide financial relief to individuals who have waited years, and in some cases over a decade, to receive their entitlements.

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Some beneficiaries retired more than 10 years ago without receiving their gratuity.

Nasiru Namaska, the Director-General of the Pension Board, flagged off the payment in Minna, commending Governor Mohammed Bago for releasing the necessary funds. He highlighted that the current administration inherited a considerable accumulation of liabilities. To tackle this, the government has been releasing funds in tranches, with approximately ₦7 billion allocated so far for settling these outstanding gratuity obligations.

Governor Bago's directive ensures that beneficiaries in this current batch will receive 100 percent of their approved gratuity. The payment process involves issuing cheques, and Namaska urged those not included in this phase not to worry, assuring them that their cases would be reviewed for subsequent batches. He also appealed for patience as the board works through the remaining liabilities.

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The Bago administration inherited a huge backlog of liabilities and had been releasing funds in batches to address the outstanding obligations.

For death benefits, the next of kin must present a Letter of Administration or a court declaration. If there are two beneficiaries, both must be present for the cheque to be released. This initiative follows a previous announcement by Governor Bago in May 2024 approving ₦25 billion for outstanding pensions and gratuities, and an initial payment batch in July 2024. The process has faced interruptions, but the current payments represent a renewed effort to clear the backlog and fulfill the government's obligations to its retirees.

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Eligible beneficiaries in the current batch would receive 100 per cent of their approved gratuity, in accordance with the governor’s directive.