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The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Pensions, Sa’adu A. Jijji, has joined pension industry leaders at the launch of two Federal Government initiatives aimed at improving retirement benefits and healthcare access for Nigerian pensioners.
The initiatives, unveiled by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) at the Presidential Pension Security Initiatives Launch in Abuja, are the Minimum Pension Guarantee (MPG), which provides for a minimum monthly pension of ₦52,500 for eligible retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), and PenCare, a healthcare programme offering free essential medical services to low-income retirees.
The event also featured the presentation of the Presidential Pension Legacy Award to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in recognition of his administration’s interventions in the pension industry.
The President, who was represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, received the award through the Director-General of PenCom, Omolola Oloworaran, and Jijji.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Innocent Ike, also attended the event.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jijji thanked the President for his support for the pension industry, particularly the appointment of the current PenCom leadership, which he said had brought renewed direction to the sector.
He specifically praised Oloworaran’s leadership, noting the positive impact of entrusting young professionals and women with key responsibilities.
“We are truly grateful to Mr President, first, for appointing the current leadership of the National Pension Commission, and particularly for appointing the Director-General of the Commission.
“We have seen what appointing a young person can do for an industry, and what appointing a woman can bring to an industry. When you have a young woman leading the industry, you can see the difference and the positive changes taking place.
“So, thank you very much, sir, for all the initiatives that have been implemented and for the support we have continued to receive. We are truly grateful,” he said.
Earlier, Oloworaran said the award represented the collective appreciation of pension industry operators for the administration’s efforts to address outstanding pension obligations, expand coverage and restore confidence in the retirement savings system.
She said the recognition was made on behalf of Pension Fund Administrators, Pension Fund Custodians, Closed Pension Fund Administrators and PenCom.
According to her, the administration’s interventions had helped restore dignity to retirees, address longstanding pension liabilities and extend pension coverage to workers in the informal sector.
She described the award as recognition of the President’s contribution to transforming the pension system and strengthening retirement security for future generations.
The launch of the MPG and PenCare initiatives forms part of efforts to improve pension benefits, expand access to healthcare and strengthen public confidence in the Contributory Pension Scheme.
