Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has approved a 100% increase in the quarterly gratuity payment, raising it from ₦1 billion to ₦2 billion for both state and local government pensions. This decision aims to alleviate the financial hardship faced by senior citizens amid current socio–economic challenges.
The Permanent Secretary of the Bureau of State Pensions, Adesoji Adewuyi, announced this development, noting that 3% of the gratuity fund will be allocated for pensioners with urgent medical needs. Additionally, the state government has formed a Consequential Adjustment Committee to review and adjust pensioners’ monthly incomes in line with economic realities.
Under the new arrangement, pensions will be increased to ₦10,000 for those earning below the benchmark, with a statutory review every five years. Waheed Oloyede, chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), expressed gratitude to Governor Abiodun for the significant increase in the gratuity payments.