Organised labour unions in Ogun State have opposed the planned implementation of the
Contributory Pension Scheme, set to begin on July 1, 2025. Their rejection is based on the
state government’s failure to remit ₦82 billion in workers’ pension deductions to Pension
Fund Administrators over the past 17 years.
At a press briefing held in Abeokuta, leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade
Union Congress (TUC), and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) jointly demanded that the
government suspend or postpone the scheme’s rollout. They issued a 72-hour ultimatum,
insisting that the scheme should not proceed until all necessary administrative and financial conditions are properly addressed.
The unions blamed the pension crisis on the state’s inconsistent implementation of the 2008 Pension Act, which was amended in 2013. According to them, the government’s failure to comply with the law has undermined trust in the system and left many workers uncertain about their retirement benefits.
They warned that launching the scheme without resolving the ₦82 billion backlog would
worsen the problem and further erode confidence among public servants. The labour bodies urged the state to engage in dialogue and clear existing debts before moving forward with any pension reform.
Organised labour in Ogun State has pointed to several critical gaps in the state’s
preparedness for the Contributory Pension Scheme, including the absence of a State
Bureau of Contributory Pension, a mandatory Pension Board, a comprehensive register, and a functional database to support the scheme’s operations.
During a press briefing, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state,
Hammed-Benco Ademola, explained that workers are rejecting the scheme’s implementation due to the government’s failure to establish the necessary administrative structures. He stressed that the Ogun State Pension Reform Law should be suspended immediately and urged the government to initiate dialogue with labour leaders within 72 hours.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Akeem Lasisi, issued a
stern warning that if the government fails to respond within the given timeframe, the unions
will consult with workers to determine their next course of action. Lasisi noted that workers
across the state are already frustrated and anxious over the unresolved pension issues, and
the unions are fully committed to securing a fair and lasting solution.
Labour leaders maintain that without proper structures in place, implementing the pension
scheme would only worsen the current crisis and betray workers’ trust.
