By Sodeeq Kamsela, Abuja
Over 30,000 retired police officers have received a combined N97.5 billion in pension and retirement benefits, according to NPF Pensions Limited, the pension manager for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
The disclosure came during the 2026 pre-retirement seminar organised by the pension firm in Lagos, where officials also said thousands of families of deceased officers have been paid death benefits running into tens of billions of naira.
Acting Managing Director, Abdulkareem Gezawa, said 30,370 retirees have so far been settled since the organisation began operations, while 8,847 next-of-kin received death benefit payments totalling N39.57 billion. He added that 25,572 retirees are currently on the monthly pension payroll, drawing over N1.56 billion every month.
Gezawa stressed that most payment delays are linked to incomplete or wrongly submitted documentation, noting that some approved funds are yet to be claimed because required records were not properly filed. He advised officers approaching retirement to process their papers early and correctly to avoid setbacks.
He also urged participants at the seminar to pay close attention to retirement guidance sessions, saying the programme was designed to help officers understand benefit procedures and post-service financial planning.
The NPF Pensions boss further revealed that police authorities are pushing a proposal that would raise police pensions to at least 80 percent of an officer’s last monthly salary. He said the plan is still awaiting approval but is intended to improve welfare for retired personnel.
Also speaking, Force Insurance Officer ACP Lydia Ameh assured would-be retirees that benefit payments would be made promptly once documentation is complete and Pension Fund Administrator records are properly transferred.
On his part, the Commissioner of Police in charge of pensions at Force Headquarters, DCP Yusuf Sani Doki, described retirement preparation as essential, warning that the transition from active duty often comes with financial and health pressures. He reminded officers that eligibility for police pension and gratuity comes at age 60 or after between 10 and 35 years of service.
The seminar also featured free medical checks for participants, part of what organisers described as a broader retirement support package. The programme is scheduled to move next to Kano as it continues its nationwide rollout across the six geopolitical zones.
