PenCom Preps Desk Officers For Digital Enrolment Of Retirees

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has commenced training of
desk officers in all treasury-funded
ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government on the skills and knowledge needed to effectively register 2025 propective retirees on its online enrolment platform.

The workshop which marks the
beginning of the final preparations for the 2024 online enrolment exercise, is focused on how to use the application to address any challenges that arise during the enrolment process.

“We are also here to confront the issues of the past head-on. In previous
enrolment exercises, gaps and challenges were observed, and today’s session
will provide practical solutions and clarity on the modalities for the upcoming
2025 enrolment,” the acting director general of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran stated yesterday at a workshop on the online enrolment application for pension desk officers in the MDAs.

The process had been fraught with some challenges, including application
downtime which have occasionally hindered the process, particularly during lastminute rushes. The DG said her commission is working on developing a new, more efficient enrolment application that will provide a user-friendly and seamless experience for all stakeholders.

Despite some setbacks, including delays in the release of funds for retirees’ accrued rights, she expressed confidence that the issues will soon be resolved.

The DG reaffirmed that the Federal government was putting the necessary measures in place to clear outstanding pension liabilities and resolve the issues confronting the sector.

“In fact, I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made by all
critical stakeholders to clear the outstanding pension liabilities and put in place long-term solutions that will prevent future delays in funding.

“Today is not just about resolving technical issues; it is also about reaffirming
our shared responsibility to Nigeria’s retirees, who deserve timely and seamless
access to their benefits,” she told the participants at the event in Abuja.

The commission began automation of the enrolment process in 2021, introducing an online enrolment application that allows seamless registration, verification, and enrolment of retirees.

The DG described the desk officers as the linchpin in the process, ensuring that retiree information is properly uploaded and verified.

Olowolaran said the system, comprising the retiree, MDA, PFA, and PenCom modules, represents the future of pension administration in Nigeria.

She said PenCom holds firmly to its statutory responsibility of ensuring a seamless pre-retirement verification and enrolment process for employees of federal government treasury-funded MDAs.

The annual exercise is designed to gather accurate data for determining the
accrued pension rights of prospective retirees, so that the federal government can make the necessary budgetary provisions.