5,000 police officers set to retire in 2026 — NPF

No fewer than 5,000 officers of the Nigeria Police Force are expected to retire in 2026, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Pensions at Force Headquarters, DCP Sani Doki Yusuf, has disclosed.

Yusuf spoke on Wednesday in Kano during the North-West Pre-Retirement Seminar organised by NPF Pensions Limited for officers due for retirement next year.

He said the seminar was aimed at educating officers on the importance of proper documentation to ensure the smooth processing and payment of their retirement benefits.

“The objective is to call our colleagues and remind them to complete adequate pension documentation so they will not encounter problems.

“Many officers still face issues due to incomplete or incorrect records,” he said.

According to Yusuf, the pension board has been visiting police commands across various zones to resolve discrepancies in officers’ records, including name variations and inconsistent personal information, which often delay payments.

He revealed that since its inception, the board has disbursed N97.5 billion in retirement benefits to 30,370 retirees.

In addition, death benefits totalling N39.57 billion have been paid to 8,847 next of kin of deceased officers, while 25,572 retirees currently receive monthly pensions exceeding N1.56 billion.

Also speaking, the Director at the Nigeria Police Pensions Board and Force Insurance Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lydia Ameh, said the seminar forms part of efforts to eliminate delays in pension payments.

Ameh noted that most pension backlogs have been cleared and assured that retirees with complete documentation can now access their benefits within three to five working days.

“It is safe to say outstanding pensions have largely been resolved, except in cases where proper documentation has not been provided,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of NPF Pensions Limited, Abdulkarim Shehu Gezawa, explained that retirement payments are guided by the Pension Reform Act 2004, as amended in 2014, and regulated by the National Pension Commission.

He added that retirees are entitled to lump sum payments and may choose either programmed withdrawals or annuity plans for their monthly pensions.