The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Tolulope Odunaiya, has commended the Lagos State Government for its unprecedented achievement in clearing all pension liabilities, labeling the state a Center of Excellence in retiree welfare.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Lagos House, Marina, on Monday, March 2, Odunaiya noted that Lagos stands alone as the only state in the federation currently carrying zero pension arrears.
The PTAD boss highlighted that a significant portion of the nearly 200,000 pensioners under the federal Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) reside in Lagos.
She emphasized that the state’s promptness in settling service gratifications sets a national benchmark for fairness and dignity. In response, Governor Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to retirees, stating that any civil servant who exits the service with complete documentation now begins receiving benefits within a maximum of three months.
“We in Lagos understand and appreciate the lives of our pensioners,” Sanwo-Olu stated. “In the last three years, we have cleared every liability. There is no pensioner who can say we owe even three years’ money.”
The Governor attributed this success to a rigorous reform process designed to reflect modern economic realities and to honor those who dedicated their active years to public service.
Beyond the praise for Lagos’ financial discipline, the meeting served as a platform for PTAD to announce two landmark federal reforms approved by President Bola Tinubu in August 2025.
The first is the Pension Harmonization Policy, which seeks to correct historical disparities caused by outdated salary structures. The second is the integration of DBS pensioners into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), ensuring that senior citizens can access medical care without direct financial burden.
Odunaiya noted that PTAD is currently rehabilitating its Lagos Liaison Office to further streamline service delivery.
She maintained that the partnership between the Directorate and the Lagos State Government is strategic, as the success of social protection programs in Lagos often serves as a catalyst for similar progress across the rest of Nigeria.