The Ogun State Government has introduced an Additional Pension Benefits (APB) scheme aimed at supporting retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) while also commencing a statewide verification exercise for pensioners tagged “I Am Alive.”
Speaking during a media briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Strategy in collaboration with the Bureau of State and Local Government Pensions at the Governor’s Office Press Centre, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of State Pensions, Mrs Arinola Adetayo, described the Additional Pension Benefits as a one-off payment initiative designed to cushion the financial gap between the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) and the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Adetayo explained that the initiative specifically targets civil servants who retired from service from July 2, 2025, noting that the payment would serve as relief for retirees while the CPS becomes fully stabilised.
She said the Additional Pension Benefits would help prevent pension crises and strengthen confidence in the contributory pension framework.
According to her, the benefit would be calculated using a graded percentage of a retiree’s Total Annual Emolument (TAE), based on the length of service.
The permanent secretary also explained that the pension industry operates through four key institutions, namely the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), which regulates the sector; Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), which manage pension funds; and Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs), responsible for safeguarding pension assets.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in charge of Local Government Pensions, Engr. Olufisan Osiyale, said retirees under the scheme would receive between 116 per cent and 280 per cent of their total annual emoluments as Additional Pension Benefits.
He noted that the payment would be made directly into retirees’ bank accounts at the point of exit from service.
Osiyale added that Ogun State was the first in the country to introduce the Additional Pension Benefits initiative, stressing that the policy was designed to preserve the dignity and confidence of retirees under the pension system.
He urged the media to assist in enlightening members of the public on the efforts of the state government to improve the welfare of pensioners.
The permanent secretary further highlighted several achievements recorded under the Contributory Pension Scheme by the current administration, including the payment of 100 per cent net salary as palliative to retirees who left service between July 2 and December 31, 2025.
He also listed the payment of the 2025 Christmas bonus to retirees and the regular remittance of employer and employee pension contributions as part of the government’s commitment to the welfare of pensioners.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Waheed Adeshina, said the media briefing was organised to address public misconceptions surrounding the Contributory Pension Scheme and the Additional Pension Benefits initiative.
Adeshina disclosed that the Ogun State Government had already paid over N5 billion to Pension Fund Administrators for the scheme.
He called on media practitioners to continue creating awareness about government policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare of citizens.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has also commenced an online verification exercise for retirees on the state pension payroll, tagged “I Am Alive.”
In a statement issued by the Bureau of State Pensions, the exercise began on Monday, March 9, and is scheduled to end on Friday, May 8, 2026.
According to the statement signed by Mrs Adetayo, who also chairs the Pension Fund Management Committee, the exercise is designed to verify the status of pensioners and ensure that benefits are paid to legitimate retirees.
The government urged pensioners to download the Ogun State Pensioners App on Android or iOS devices via the Google Play Store or Apple Store in order to participate in the verification process.
Retirees are required to set up the application by entering their Personal Enrolment Number (PEN) and registered phone number before completing the verification process by following the instructions provided on the platform, including capturing a photograph.
The statement encouraged all retirees on the state pension payroll to take advantage of the exercise and complete the verification process within the stipulated period.