Retirees Lament Hardship As ₦36 Billion Pension Debt Missing From Budget
Decades-Long Pension Crisis Resurfaces
FORMER employees and pensioners of Nigeria Airways have renewed their appeal to Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the non-payment of ₦36 billion in severance and pension entitlements, more than two decades after the airline’s liquidation.
In a letter dated 7 May 2026 addressed to the President, the retirees expressed concern that the approved funds for their settlement were not captured in either the extended 2025 budget or the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
Budget Omission Sparks Outrage
The letter, jointly signed by union leaders Comrade Olusegun Adeleke and Comrade Thomas Ojuderi, revealed that hopes of payment were rekindled after presidential approval in 2025.
However, the retirees said those expectations were dashed when no provision for the ₦36 billion liability appeared in the budget framework.
They described the omission as both shocking and distressing, particularly given earlier assurances that the debt would be settled.
Retirees Face Mounting Hardship
The pensioners painted a grim picture of life since the airline’s collapse in 2003, citing prolonged financial hardship, deteriorating health conditions, and rising mortality among affected members.
According to their account, over 1,500 out of more than 5,800 former workers have died while awaiting payment of their entitlements.
Many of the survivors, they said, continue to struggle with poverty and uncertainty.
Call for Executive Intervention
Describing the President as their “last hope,” the retirees urged him to exercise executive authority to direct the immediate payment of their benefits, even if funds must be sourced outside the current budget.
They appealed for humanitarian consideration, warning that continued delays could worsen the already dire situation facing pensioners.
A Lingering Legacy of Airline Liquidation
The crisis traces back to the liquidation of Nigeria Airways in 2003, which left thousands of workers in a prolonged dispute over unpaid pensions, gratuities, and severance packages.
Despite multiple engagements with successive administrations, the issue has remained unresolved, highlighting systemic challenges in public sector pension management and fiscal accountability.
