Pensioners in Oyo State are now the highest-earning retirees in Nigeria, according to the State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade.
In a statement released on Thursday, Oyelade disclosed that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration pays over ₦1 billion monthly to settle pensioners’ gratuities and entitlements—an unprecedented move in the state’s history.
“Pensioners in Oyo State are the envy of their colleagues across the country, not only because they receive consistent welfare support akin to what active civil servants enjoy, but also because their pensions have increased in line with the salaries of current government workers,” Oyelade said.
He stated that since assuming office in 2019, Governor Makinde has consistently prioritized pension payments without a single default. The administration, he added, integrated a long-overdue 33% pension increment originally recommended in 2010 and has also implemented the 2019 consequential adjustment, which had previously excluded pensioners.
Oyelade noted that no pensioner in the state currently earns less than ₦25,000, a significant shift from what he described as a shameful past where some retirees earned as little as ₦1,000 or less.
“All salaries and pensions are now paid promptly, on the same day as over 130,000 active government workers,” he added, referencing the end of the long-standing issue of delayed payments.
Citing the Federal Bureau of Statistics, Oyelade said that Oyo was ranked as the most worker-friendly state in Nigeria as of September 2024.
Further elaborating on the administration’s commitment, the commissioner said Governor Makinde has allocated ₦500 million monthly to clear outstanding gratuities from the 2008–2016 period and an additional ₦500 million to pay retirees from 2019 onwards.
He noted that under the current administration, the controversial 30% pension payment model—a practice endured by pensioners under previous governments—has been abolished entirely.
“All things being equal, Governor Makinde is on course to completely clear the over ₦200 billion gratuity backlog inherited from previous administrations before the end of his tenure,” Oyelade affirmed.
The commissioner lauded the Governor’s approach to governance, describing it as a model of integrity, compassion, and commitment to the welfare of the elderly who served the state.
