Lagos Pensioners Give Sanwo-Olu 7 Days To Pay Entitlements

Lagos State pensioners under the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS) have issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to pay their outstanding pension entitlements, warning of a full-scale protest if the demand is not met.

The ultimatum, which expires on August 31, was issued during a warning protest held by the pensioners along the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos on Monday.

The retirees, who said they served the state for about 35 years, expressed frustration over the delay in the payment of their entitlements, which they said had subjected many of their members to hardship.

The chairman of NUPCPS, Lagos State Council, Comrade Michael Omisande, said the union had held several meetings with the state government in an attempt to resolve the issue without success.

Omisande said the union submitted a template to the state government in January 2026 outlining its proposal for the implementation of pension enhancement.

He said the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) subsequently informed the union that approval had been granted for an actuary to be engaged to facilitate the process, but the expected implementation had yet to take place.

“We earlier communicated a 19-day ultimatum to Mr Governor to credit the accounts of pensioners on the pension increases/wage award, but hitherto, nothing has been done,” he said.

He warned that failure by the government to meet the demand within seven days could lead to what the pensioners described as the “mother of all protests.”

Also speaking, the Lagos State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Olatunde Busari, said the protest was aimed at drawing public attention to what he described as the prolonged delay in the payment of pensioners’ entitlements.

Busari, who expressed solidarity with the Lagos branch of the union, said pensioners had been waiting for the implementation of the payment despite the release of funds to federal workers.

“Our listening President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has graciously released our own which we have been enjoying since, but it is disheartening to see Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, together with his cabinet members, and the Lagos State House of Assembly have been stylishly delayed the payment,” he said.

He alleged that the state government was attempting to defer the implementation until the next administration, saying pensioners would continue to use lawful means, including protests, to demand their entitlements.

The chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Defined Benefit Scheme (NUPDBS), Lagos State Council, Comrade Olufemi Olarewaju, also accused the state government of repeatedly reviewing the list of beneficiaries submitted by the union.

He said the delay had worsened the economic hardship faced by retirees, with some allegedly struggling to afford medication and basic necessities.

“Our members are going through anguish pains, not able to afford medications or proper feeding, some are dying while waiting for payment of the entitlements which we worked for in 35 years active service,” Olarewaju said.

He warned that the pensioners would commence a full-blown protest on August 31 if the state government failed to address their demands.

The protesters, led by Omisande, Olarewaju and other union officials, marched through parts of Iyana Ipaja, calling for urgent intervention to resolve the dispute.

The pensioners also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the matter and prevail on the Lagos State Government to address their grievances.