LAGOS, Nigeria — Retirees of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have issued a seven-day ultimatum threatening to shut down seaports nationwide over 15 years of unpaid pension increments, according to a statement issued by the Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association on April 20, 2026.
Okay News reports that the pensioners warned the protest would commence seven days after the publication of their statement if their demands remain unmet.
The pensioners said the NPA management has failed to implement the constitutionally mandated five-year pension increase, a provision they claim has remained unfulfilled since 2008. They argued that while the law guarantees periodic pension increases every five years and adjustments aligned with salary reviews for serving workers, the authority has instead applied arbitrary increments ranging between 3 and 11.5 percent.
“The NPA is yet to furnish the Wages Commission with its documents for over 15 years now, so that the necessary upward review can be made,” the association said.
The retirees decried worsening living conditions amid economic hardship, noting that many struggle to meet basic needs.
“It is sad and regrettable to say the least, that amid the present high inflation rate and economic downturn in Nigeria, only a few NPA retirees receive up to N100,000, while more than 50% of them earn between N50,000 and as low as N30,000 monthly,” the association stated.
The group further faulted the disparity between the agency’s status and the welfare of its retirees. “Notwithstanding the fact that the NPA remains a first grade parastatal like the NNPC, its retirees were paid peanuts, and their so called pay rise falls short of the constitutional provision in Section 173, Sub Sect.3,” they added.
The association dismissed claims of internal disunity, stating that previous leadership disputes had been resolved through court rulings and that the body now operates with a unified voice. It noted that a ruling by the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, directed the conduct of an annual general meeting and elections, which produced the current leadership.
A five-year legal battle over alleged impersonation was resolved in the association’s favour, with an Apapa Magistrate Court affirming its president as the legitimate head of the body in September 2025.
The dispute comes as the Nigerian Ports Authority projects strong revenue growth, targeting N1.489 trillion in internally generated revenue for 2026, an increase from the N1.468 trillion projection for 2025, which it exceeded. The agency’s 2026 budget outlines N945 billion for capital projects, N447.5 billion for operating expenses, and N90.6 billion for remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
 have issued a seven-day ultimatum threatening to shut down seaports nationwide over 15 years of unpaid pension increments, according to a statement issued by the Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association on April 20, 2026.){kind=link}