Opinion
Agony Of Nigeria’s Pensioners
A pensioner could be described as one who is receiving
a pension especially from the government. More often than not pensioners are a group of people associated with greater age, especially those on statutory retirement who have served the government in various capacities.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had since alerted that about three million pensioners are feared dead each year.
This is quite disheartening as the group insisted that this huge number of pensioners die every year from lack of care, and neglect by the Nigerian government, which they meritoriously served using thirty five productive years of their youthful age.
It is indeed a concern to note that a lot of our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who have served this nation in one capacity or the other, who have made various contributions to our existence as a country who laboured for the young to see a society they can still call theirs, often die simply because of lack of care and neglect at the point the need society most.
It is therefore easy to assert that the treatment of pensioners in Nigeria is one of the worst in the world. To met it represents a huge display of our hypocritical nature because we claim to have a “culture” that respects senior citizens, yet no real action is taken towards the protection and care of the retirees and the elderly.
For instance, from the taxi driver who blares his car horn or shouts at the elderly man to “comot for road you old papa” to the youthful neighbor who “grips” the shirt of the elder who ventures to settle a dispute brought before him; the policeman, who doesn’t bother to protect the elderly when in public places; and the politicians who have not passed a single legislation to socially protect the retirees as well as countless families that dump their retired parents in old peoples homes or in the villages uncared for are all guilty of gross disservice to the retirees and old citizens.
Moreover it is disheartening to note the extent of neglect brought on them by the which even after the most recent harmonized salary structures, some pensioners who retired at the rank of substantive director on grade level 16, still earn a pension of les than N50,000 per month this is in addition to some who are refused or being owed their pension gratuity. For instance, pensioners of the Rivers State government who left service over five years ago have not been paid their federal government share of gratuity up till date.
That is the level of hypocrisy Nigeria displays when it comes to the care and protection of elderly people. Suffice to state that unlike their Nigerian counterparts, pensioners in the UK, America, Canada, and many other countries have a much more different story to tell. For example, pensioners and elderly people in these countries have special seat on public transportation reserved for them; they have designated portions of every public infrastructure; the public is reminded to be cautious of them with “caution signs” every where; the police and other security agents walk them past busy roads; they receive social security financial supports apart from their pensions for their upkeep; they enjoy many healthcare programmes to keep them alive and healthy at no cost to them; they are taking on trips, enjoy recreation, attend organized entertainment programmes free of charge.
Unfortunately, in Nigeria, our rulers and politicians make laws to favour themselves and their immediate families.
For instance in Nigeria, the ruling class and politicians frequently review their salaries and remunerations upwardly. Presently there are moves by the National Assembly in Nigeria to promulgate laws to bring members under pension scheme, so that on leaving office, they will be entitled to the very huge amount of money and social benefits they presently earn in service.
The country’s law makers are busy contemplating on issues of their self interest, instead of giving haope to pensioners who have meritoriously served the nation.
It is sad that in Nigeria no politician has ever included in his or her campaign manifesto to a proposal for the betterment of the elderly.
It is interesting to note that the pensioners in Canada, UK, and America are the highest contributors to charitable organisations. They donate with ease their life savings and investments and much more to issues that support the needy and less privileged in the society. This obviously is because they feel a strong sense of gratitude towards the society for the support and protection they receive unlike the position of the elderly in Nigeria.
Clearly put, the disparity between Nigeria and these developed countries in caring for their “senior citizens” is so much that it has become very necessary to stage a campaign for urgent need to bridge the gap. This could be achieved with support from the private sector which could introduce innovative solutions intended to raise the life expectancy of Nigerians particularly pensioners as obtainable in most developed nations.
It is a natural phenomenon that “if we don’t start to honour the elderly, we shouldn’t expect to live long as a society.”
Fuayefika, a public affairs analyst, writes from Port Harcourt.
Tonye Fuayefika
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo