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BREAKING: Tension as pensioners stripped of NHIS benefits
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector, NUPCPS, has condemned the removal of retired workers from accessing the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, describing the decision as unfair and inhumane.
The National Secretary of NUPCPS, Mr. John Bisan, voiced the union’s displeasure during a two-day Sensitisation and Enlightenment Workshop on the workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, held in Lagos.
Bisan lamented that many retirees were being denied health insurance coverage at a time in their lives when they needed it most, despite having served the nation faithfully during their productive years.
Bisan said: “I wouldn’t know whether the Director-General of PenCom is aware that once you turn 60 or retire from service — even at 55 — you are removed from the NHIS. This is unfair.
“I cannot serve my country for 35 good years, give my youthful and useful age to service, only to be told after retirement that I am not entitled to free healthcare. This is too bad. This is the period we need healthcare the most.”
He warned that the policy had left many senior citizens vulnerable, with several battling health challenges such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart conditions without the financial means to afford medication and treatment.
“Many pensioners are dying because we can’t afford drugs or medical tests. The government must restore free healthcare for retirees immediately. In countries like the UK and the US, the elderly have access to healthcare at no cost. Why can’t Nigeria do the same?” he queried.
Responding to the concerns, the Director-General of the National Pension Commission, PenCom, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, represented by Mr. Mutiu Muslim, Head of the Commission’s South-West Zonal Office, said that PenCom had rolled out a free healthcare access initiative for low-income retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
According to her, the initiative is a vital part of the Commission’s efforts to strengthen social protection and ensure dignity for retirees in their old age.
“Healthcare access is a key component of social protection. The Commission is committed to ensuring that retirees, especially those in the low-income category, have access to basic healthcare services,” she assured.
Stakeholders at the workshop called on the Federal and State Governments to prioritise the welfare of pensioners and take concrete steps to reinstate NHIS coverage for all retirees, noting that their wellbeing reflects the nation’s commitment to honouring those who have served it diligently.
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Breaking: Nigerian Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage, FG Faces Fresh Salary Pressure
The Federal Workers Forum, FWF, has demanded an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000, noting that the current salary structure can no longer sustain civil servants amid Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
The Forum made the demand in a letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, with the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation listed among the recipients.
The workers also proposed a new salary structure that would place the highest-paid Level 17 officer on a monthly salary of N1.5 million, while Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000.
“We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers,” the Forum said.
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The FWF argued that the Federal Government had not fully implemented the 2024 minimum wage agreement, claiming that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances.
“It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage,” it said.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in August 2026, demanded an upward review of the minimum wage to N500,000.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s government increased the minimum wage to N70,000 per month from N30,000.
However, the cost of living for many Nigerians has tripled between 2024 and 2026.
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The Federal Government has said Nigeria will never support a military coup or any unconstitutional change of government, following claims that the country backed a failed coup attempt in the Niger Republic.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the statement, the claims circulating on social media are baseless and misleading.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria remained committed to democracy, constitutional rule and political stability in West Africa and would not support any attempt to remove a government through unconstitutional means.
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“Nigeria will never support illegality or unconstitutional change of government anywhere, no matter who is involved or which country is concerned,” he said.
The minister also rejected claims that Nigeria, through its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supported or endorsed the military takeover in Niger.
He said the Federal Government had already stated its position on the situation in Niger in an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 30, 2026.
According to him, Nigeria remains deeply concerned about developments in Niger and wants the country to return peacefully to stability and constitutional order.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria’s close historical, cultural and fraternal ties with Niger made peace and stability in the neighbouring country particularly important.
“Nigerians at home and abroad should disregard the videos and narratives circulating online, they are intended to create confusion and tarnish Nigeria’s image,” the statement said.
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