Tinubu Orders Swift Implementation of Free Healthcare, Pension Increases for Retirees

August 6, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to expedite the implementation of a free healthcare initiative targeted at low-income retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

According to a statement released by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure social protection and restore dignity to pensioners across the country.

The directive followed a briefing from the Director General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, during which she outlined various pension reforms aimed at improving retiree welfare.

In addition to the healthcare program, President Tinubu also ordered the immediate implementation of long-overdue pension increases and the introduction of a minimum pension guarantee. The minimum guarantee is intended to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable pensioners under the CPS.

Furthermore, the President tasked PenCom with urgently addressing the unresolved police pension issue, stressing that officers who serve and protect the nation must be able to retire in peace and with dignity.

Ms. Oloworaran also briefed the President on PenCom’s strategies to preserve the value of pension fund assets amidst inflation and economic pressures. Among the new initiatives discussed was the planned inclusion of foreign currency contributions, which would enable Nigerians in the diaspora to participate in the national pension scheme.

President Tinubu expressed strong support for the ongoing reforms and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive growth and social protection for ordinary Nigerians.