Nigerian pensioners and labour leaders have called for a comprehensive social protection system to address the growing welfare challenges facing retirees, arguing that the expansion of the National Pension Commission’s PenCare healthcare initiative is not enough to meet their needs.
PenCom recently increased the eligibility ceiling for PenCare from a monthly pension of N70,000 to N150,000, potentially bringing more low- and middle-income retirees within the programme.
The adjustment followed concerns from pensioners and labour stakeholders that rising inflation, food prices and healthcare costs had significantly eroded the purchasing power of retirees, particularly those receiving relatively small monthly pensions.
PenCare operates as a corporate social responsibility initiative of PenCom and is separate from the core responsibilities of specialised healthcare agencies such as the National Health Insurance Authority.
However, former Acting National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Promise Adewusi, described the increase in the eligibility ceiling as a welcome development while stressing that it should not be regarded as a comprehensive solution to the problems confronting pensioners.
He said the prevailing economic conditions had made the monthly pensions received by many retirees inadequate, particularly those who retired during the early years of the Contributory Pension Scheme.
According to Adewusi, the healthcare needs of older people are often greater and more expensive, making it difficult for retirees surviving on modest pensions to meet their medical expenses.
Although the Federal Government has increased pensions under the scheme by N32,000 across the board, Adewusi said the adjustment had not removed the financial hardship confronting the average pensioner.
He said PenCare could provide temporary relief to eligible retirees if properly managed, but warned that its sustainability would depend on political commitment and effective coordination among the relevant institutions.
Adewusi also urged PenCom and Pension Fund Administrators to ensure that retirees enrolled in PenCare did not encounter delays in accessing healthcare services.
He particularly cautioned against a situation where healthcare providers delay treatment because of outstanding payments from Health Maintenance Organisations or coordinating agencies.
He said elderly beneficiaries should not be left moving between HMOs and PenCare administrators in search of assistance.
Adewusi further argued that healthcare access should ordinarily be handled by institutions with statutory responsibility for health insurance, while PenCare should complement rather than undermine the existing system.
Meanwhile, a Lagos State pensioner, Mr Afolabi Oye, said administrative challenges and poor awareness were limiting participation in the programme.
Oye claimed that many pensioners had completed the required registration and submitted their details but were yet to receive feedback from PenCom or its accredited bodies.
He also said many civil servants and early retirees were unaware that PenCare existed, calling for greater public awareness about the initiative.
Another pensioner, Mrs Habibat, said the programme could benefit retirees but urged PenCom to intensify enlightenment campaigns so that eligible pensioners would understand how to access it.
Labour leader Comrade Victor Oriola also called for a broader social security safety net for retirees, saying pensioners should be treated as senior citizens requiring comprehensive government support.
He argued that the current economic difficulties had increased the burden on retirees and that governments at all levels needed to provide measures that would protect their welfare.
The concerns extend beyond healthcare, with pensioners also facing challenges involving inadequate monthly payments, delayed accrued benefits, administrative bottlenecks and poor coordination between PFAs, HMOs, healthcare providers and government agencies.
Labour stakeholders therefore want PenCare to be complemented by broader social protection policies covering healthcare, income security and other welfare needs of senior citizens.
For many retirees, the expansion of PenCare represents potential relief, but stakeholders maintain that a healthcare intervention alone cannot address the wider financial and social pressures affecting their retirement years.
