The Niger State Pension Board has spent ₦5 billion out of the ₦9.1 billion budgeted for pension payments between January and August 2025.
The disclosure was made by the Board’s Permanent Secretary, Malam Habib Abdulkadir, during the presentation of its proposed 2026 budget to the Niger State Planning Commission in Minna.
Abdulkadir said pension payments were current, except for retirees still undergoing biometric verification. He noted that the number of retirees continues to rise monthly, necessitating frequent reviews and updated projections.
He further explained that mortality among pensioners remained low due to the ongoing “I Am Alive” verification exercise, which helps the Board identify and remove deceased beneficiaries from its records.
During the budget screening, members of the Planning Commission highlighted discrepancies in the staff lists submitted by state and local governments. They also queried the non-submission of monthly expenditure reports covering the first eight months of 2025.
The Permanent Secretary of the Planning Commission, Hajiya Aishatu Tani Usman, said the exercise formed part of the state’s annual budget preparation process for all ministries, departments, and agencies. She directed the Pension Board to submit a detailed record of its achievements for the outgoing year.
Usman commended the Board’s performance so far and urged full compliance with budgetary procedures before the final submission. The session was attended by representatives from the Bureau of Statistics, the Office of the Head of Service, and the State Planning Commission.
The 2026 budget proposal also includes funds for the renovation of the Pension Board’s complex and the purchase of new office equipment.
