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Tinubu to Nigerians: Judge Me by Performance, Not Promises
President Bola Tinubu has challenged Nigerians to assess his administration based on its achievements rather than political promises, declaring that his government has ended a 22-year delay in implementing the Minimum Pension Guarantee Scheme.
Tinubu spoke on Tuesday at the official launch of the Minimum Pension Guarantee Scheme at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. He was represented at the event by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
The President said his administration had moved beyond promises by introducing a statutory safety net to ensure that eligible retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) receive a guaranteed minimum income after retirement.
He also unveiled PensionCare, a pension industry-funded healthcare initiative designed to provide low-income retirees with access to essential medical services free of charge.
Emphasising the significance of the initiatives, Tinubu challenged Nigerians to evaluate his administration based on its record.
“Please judge me by my record in this election,” he said.
He also challenged opposition politicians who had previously occupied positions of authority to explain what they did to guarantee minimum pensions, provide healthcare protection and improve retirees’ welfare.
Tinubu lamented that despite provisions in Section 71 of the Pension Reform Act 2004, reinforced by Sections 82 and 84 of the 2014 Act, successive administrations had failed to implement the Minimum Pension Guarantee Scheme for more than two decades.
According to him, the scheme takes immediate effect and will be administered by the National Pension Commission in line with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act.
“Not one naira paid under that guarantee. Not one retiree given a floor. Not one government that stopped to ask what happens to those pensioners when their hospital bills arrive at their homes.
“A law that is never implemented is not a law. It is a lie with a stamp on it. Today, I dare say that lie ends here,” he said.
The President assured pension contributors that the scheme would establish a minimum income threshold below which eligible retirees would not be allowed to fall.
He described the guarantee as a social contract between the government and Nigerian workers, urging future administrations to sustain the policy.
On the healthcare initiative, Tinubu said PensionCare would address the financial difficulties faced by elderly Nigerians in accessing medical treatment.
He explained that the programme would provide low-income pensioners with essential healthcare services at no cost, adding that the first beneficiary cards would be distributed in the coming months.
“A pension is more than a payslip. Ask any Nigerian what finished their father’s pension. It was not food. It was not rent. It was the hospital bill,” he said.
The President further disclosed that the Federal Government had issued a N758bn bond to settle outstanding pension arrears.
He added that a consequential adjustment of N32,000 monthly had been approved for federal pensioners whose earnings were below the national minimum wage, bringing their pensions to that level or above.
Tinubu also said legacy pensioners under the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, who previously received as little as N18,000 monthly, now collect N206,000.
He described the pension enhancements under the Contributory Pension Scheme as unprecedented in the country’s history.
Recalling the difficulties faced by retirees under previous pension arrangements, the President condemned the practice of forcing elderly pensioners to queue under harsh weather conditions to prove they were still alive before accessing their entitlements.
He said some retirees died while waiting to receive their benefits after dedicating between 30 and 40 years to national service.
Tinubu linked the pension reforms to his administration’s broader economic policies, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates.
He maintained that the decisions, although difficult, were necessary to restore economic stability and redirect public resources towards infrastructure and social development.
According to him, funds previously spent on petrol subsidy had been channelled to state governments, strengthening their capacity to invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare and pension obligations.
Citing a World Bank report published in October 2026, Tinubu said state revenues increased by approximately 93 per cent in real terms between 2023 and 2025, while the proportion of state budgets allocated to capital projects rose from 46 per cent to 61 per cent.
He commended state governors, irrespective of political affiliation, for using increased revenues to execute development projects and improve citizens’ welfare.
The President also highlighted other government interventions, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the National Credit Guarantee Company and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation.
He said the initiatives were designed to expand access to education and affordable credit for young Nigerians, women, small business owners and people previously excluded from formal financial services.
Tinubu also criticised opposition calls for the restoration of petrol subsidy, arguing that reversing the policy would deprive state governments of additional revenue needed to fund infrastructure and social interventions.
He challenged former public office holders to present their records on pension protection and workers’ welfare.
“They had the power. They had the workers. They had the laws. Where is their record of performance?” he asked.
The President also warned employers in the public and private sectors against withholding workers’ pension contributions, describing the practice as a threat to their financial security after retirement.
“Every naira you withhold is stolen from somebody’s old age. It is not your money; it never will be,” he warned.
He urged young Nigerian workers to enrol in pension schemes early and maintain regular contributions throughout their working lives to secure financial independence in retirement.
Tinubu assured workers that his administration would continue to strengthen policies aimed at protecting their interests, insisting that no Nigerian who had devoted years to national service should be abandoned after retirement.
Tinubu to Nigerians: Judge Me by Performance, Not Promises
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