The retirees, drawn from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), were on Monday teargassed by police in Lagos, while gathered at the Lagos House in Ikeja to protest unpaid pension increases, wage awards and other outstanding benefits.
Penpushing reports that the pensioners were at the venue to press the Lagos State Government to implement the increases and settle the arrears they said had accumulated.
The action came on the date the retirees had earlier set as a deadline for the government to address their grievances, however, the situation became tense after police officers deployed teargas, sending some of the protesters away from the premises.
Penpushing also reports that the pensioners had warned that they would stage a larger demonstration on August 31, 2026, demanding for an increase, while it would be recalled that the National Pension Commission (PenCom) had previously asked the Lagos Government to extend periodic pension increases granted to retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme to those under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The disagreement has persisted despite the state’s assurances on pension payments, however, Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), responding to complaints from retirees in an earlier report, said the government had paid N168 billion to about 48,000 pensioners.
Penpushing reports that the pensioners, however, have continued to complain about unpaid increases and other benefits, saying delays have put many of them under financial strain as living costs rise.
Meanwhile, the protest on Monday at Lagos House has now added a new dimension to the dispute, with the pensioners questioning the decision to use teargas to disperse them, and as at the time of filing this report the Lagos State Government and the police had not issued a statement on the incident.
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