Borno State Governor Approves N5.81 Billion Payout to Clear Gratuity Backlog

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has authorized the disbursement of N5.81 billion to settle a substantial backlog of gratuities owed to retired civil servants and the families of deceased workers. This significant pension settlement exercise, one of the largest in the state's history, aims to alleviate the financial hardships faced by former public servants.

During a presentation at the Government House in Maiduguri, Governor Zulum handed over cheques totaling N5,814,830,271.94 to representatives of organized labor and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners. He reiterated his administration's commitment to fulfilling its obligations towards workers' welfare. The allocated funds include N2.99 billion designated for settling outstanding gratuities for the families of deceased civil servants and N2.82 billion to clear gratuities for retirees up to December 2022. This also covers entitlements owed to staff of the Borno State Housing Corporation dating back to 2013.

Governor Zulum stated that this intervention fulfills a major campaign promise, intended to provide relief to families who have experienced years of financial uncertainty. "We have quite a number of civil servants who have lost their lives, and their families are still battling with life's challenges. We are presenting about three billion naira to the families of deceased civil servants so they can continue to live in peace and dignity," he said. With this payment, all civil servants who retired up to 2022 will receive their full gratuities, and the government will commence processing payments for those who retired in 2023.

This disbursement is part of ongoing efforts by the Zulum administration to address pension liabilities. The state currently allocates N200 million monthly for gratuity payments. Previous interventions include N8 billion approved in 2025 for pensioners' entitlements and teachers' gratuities, and N12 billion disbursed in 2020 to settle benefits for approximately 5,000 retired state and local government workers. The Commissioner for Finance, Lawan Dalorima, highlighted the payment as further proof of the administration's dedication to honoring public servants. Organized labor representatives, including Mamman Bukar, Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Borno State, welcomed the development, calling it timely and effective in reducing economic hardship for pensioners and their families. Governor Zulum also assured local government employees that measures are being prepared to improve their welfare, acknowledging the challenges they face.

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We have quite a number of civil servants who have lost their lives, and their families are still battling with life's challenges. We are presenting about three billion naira to the families of deceased civil servants so they can continue to live in peace and dignity.