PenCom: Pension Funds Grow N90bn To N29.52trn Amid Equity Gains

Nigeria’s pension fund assets increased by N90 billion to N29.52 trillion in March 2026, a 0.31 per cent rise from N29.43 trillion in February, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has disclosed.

The growth occurred amid tight liquidity and portfolio rebalancing, supported by gains in domestic equities and Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) securities.

Asset allocation highlights
Fixed income held steady as the portfolio backbone at 58.07 per cent, with FGN securities up 1.28 per cent month-on-month to N17.14 trillion.

Key fixed income shifts included:
Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) jumped 120.88 per cent to N171.48 billion.
Infrastructure funds fell 25.26% to N224.23 billion.
Open/close-end funds declined 3.96 per cent to N170.30 billion.
Real estate rose marginally 0.25 per cent to N169.94 billion.
Private equities gained 0.43% to N259.42 billion.
Cash and other assets increased 3.17 per cent to N463.17 billion.
PenCom data shows REIT and equity gains offsetting money market declines.

Further analysis based on participation showed that Retirement Savings Account (RSA) registrations grew 0.44 per cent to 11.18 million, while micro-pension contributors rose 26.53 per cent to 91,399.
Fund category performance:
Fund II (largest) dipped 0.58 per cent to N12.59 trillion.
Fund III expanded 0.97 per cent to N7.53 trillion.
Fund IV rose 1.53 per cent to N2.34 trillion.
Fund I increased 3.46 per cent to N560.18 billion.
Fund V surged 254.31 per cent from a low base.
Closed Pension Fund Administrators (CPFAs) fell 0.94 per cent to N2.74 trillion.
Mid-risk funds retained dominance, per PenCom.

The N90 billion expansion underscores the pension industry’s stability, with FGN securities providing a anchor and diversification into REITs and equities signaling adaptation to market conditions.