ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The 2026 Appropriation Bill has set aside N1.38tn for pensions, gratuities and retirees’ benefits across Federal Government agencies, security services, parastatals and universities.
Breakdowns of the allocation show that the Office of the Head of Civil Service will receive N94.54bn for civilian pensions, covering gratuities, pension running costs and unfunded liabilities.
Of this amount, civil service pensions alone account for N60.34bn, while arrears arising from the 2024 pension increment are pegged at N30.58bn.
A total of N486.04bn has been provided for military pensions and gratuities, including N130.38bn for expected retirees, N237.25bn for pensions and gratuities, N98.53bn for death benefits and funds for administrative expenses.
READ ALSO: Retired Military Pensioners Block Finance Ministry Over Unpaid Benefits
The package also makes provision for medical retirees and arrears accumulated between January 2019 and December 2021.
Security agencies are included in the plan, with N28.61bn allocated to the Department of State Security, N23.54bn to the Nigeria Intelligence Agency and N18.53bn for police pensions.
The Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office is to receive N18.41bn.
Parastatals and universities are to share N207.81bn, while the National Pension Commission has been allocated N427.04bn for gratuities, pension protection and consequential adjustments.
Other provisions cover benefits for former heads of service, retired professors, EFCC retirees and group life assurance for all MDAs, bringing service-wide vote allocations to N2.19tn.
Overall, pension-related spending constitutes a substantial portion of the 2026 budget, underscoring the Federal Government’s resolve to meet its obligations to retirees while addressing arrears and unfunded liabilities.