Retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in Lagos State have issued the state government an August 31, 2026 deadline to pay their outstanding pension enhancement and wage award.
The pensioners, under the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS), warned that failure to meet their demand could trigger what they described as the “mother of all protests.”
The Chairman of the NUPCPS, Lagos State Council, Michael Omisande, disclosed this after a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Sunkanmi Oyegbola.
Omisande said the union submitted a template to the state government in January 2026 outlining its proposal for the implementation of the pension enhancement.
According to him, the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) later informed the union that approval had been granted for an actuary to be engaged to facilitate the process.
He, however, lamented that despite the approval, the implementation of the pension enhancement and wage award had yet to commence.
“We have communicated a 19-day ultimatum to Mr Governor to credit the accounts of pensioners on the pension increases/wage award, or face protest action tentatively fixed for August 31, 2026,” Omisande said.
He added that the union had notified the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police about the planned protest to ensure adequate security for participating pensioners.
The meeting was also attended by the Director-General of LASPEC, Babalola Obilana, and the commission’s Executive Director of Finance, Muyiwa Oshin.
Omisande said Obilana informed the pensioners that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had summoned him and issued a directive on the matter.
However, he noted that no specific date had been given for the commencement of payment.
Leaders of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Defined Benefit Scheme (NUPDBS), Olufemi Olarewaju and Olukayode Bada, were also present at the meeting.
The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Funmi Sessi, urged LASPEC to expedite the process and prevent the dispute from escalating.
Omisande further disclosed that the national leadership of the NUPCPS had endorsed the Lagos council’s position.
He said the union would deploy traditional and social media platforms to mobilise retirees ahead of the planned protest.
“It is a sacrifice we must render for our financial emancipation. I strongly believe that the money can be paid if the government really wants to pay within the time frame,” he said.
Sessi also appealed to the state government to resolve the issue promptly, urging the relevant authorities to speed up the payment process and avert a confrontation with the retirees.
