The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has announced a significant uptick in enforcement actions against employers who fail to remit pension contributions, recovering a total of ₦32.27 billion in unpaid contributions and penalties between June 2012 and September 2025.
The disclosure underlines a shift from a previously lenient posture toward a more aggressive enforcement regime.
PenCom’s leadership signaled that non-compliance will no longer be tolerated, describing the era of impunity as over.
At a weekend workshop for accredited recovery agents (RAs) in Lagos, the Omolola Oloworaran, PenCom’s Director-General emphasized the commission’s resolve to clamp down on pension defaulters, a stance formally articulated through a stronger compliance regime.
Of the total recovered sum, ₦15.87 billion was owed pension contributions, while penalties contributed ₦16.4 billion.
Notably, just in the third quarter of 2025, PenCom recovered ₦2.06 billion from 49 employers, described by industry observers as the “strongest enforcement momentum” seen in recent years.
PenCom’s leadership stated that persistent default undermines the purpose of the contributory pension scheme (CPS), which depends on timely employer and employee contributions to guarantee retirement benefits.
PenCom’s renewed approach is not limited to financial recovery. During the training workshop for recovery agents, the commission disclosed new inter-agency collaborations with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other regulatory bodies.
Most significantly, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which will allow the ICPC to hold directors and managers of recalcitrant companies personally accountable.
That opens the door to possible criminal charges for willful defaulters.
The training sessions also featured technical briefings on employer audits, liability computation, documentation and evidence management, as well as the use of enhanced digital compliance tools.
RAs were urged to uphold high ethical and professional standards as they assist the commission in executing its broadened mandate.
“For every unremitted naira is a broken promise to a Nigerian worker,” PenCom warned, highlighting the human cost of employer default for retirees depending on timely contributions under the CPS.
By recovering unpaid contributions and penalties, the commission aims to strengthen confidence in the pension system, reassuring workers that the CPS remains credible and able to deliver retirement security.
The renewed push also signals a warning to employers, the cost of non-compliance may no longer be a financial inconvenience, but a reputational and legal liability.
PenCom is the regulatory authority established to oversee Nigeria’s contributory pension scheme.
Its renewed enforcement campaign reflects growing concerns over widespread non-remittance by employers, which undermines the retirement security of millions of workers.
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