The National Pension Commission has extended the deadline for eligible federal civil servants to complete the mandatory online verification and enrolment of accrued pension rights to December 31, 2026.
The exercise, which began in February and was originally due to close on July 31, is designed to establish the pension rights of employees who transitioned from the former defined benefit scheme to the contributory pension scheme.
The extension followed requests from ministries, departments and agencies for more time to capture eligible workers. Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that by July, MDAs had uploaded records for 62,320 active employees and retirees, but only 31,099 employees had completed the enrolment process.
That figure remains below the estimated 150,000 active federal government employees believed to be entitled to accrued pension rights.
PenCom has therefore urged eligible employees and Treasury funded MDAs to use the additional period to complete the process rather than wait until the new deadline.
The exercise is intended to help the Federal Government determine the value of pension liabilities inherited from the old scheme and make appropriate budgetary provisions for settling them.
The process is being carried out digitally through PenCom’s Contributions and Bond Redemption Application, known as COBRA. MDAs are expected to upload the relevant employee information, after which workers must approach their pension fund administrators with the required documents to finalise their enrolment.
Pension desk officers trained by PenCom are coordinating the exercise within their respective organisations and assisting eligible employees with the process.
PenCom said completing the exercise early would allow accrued pension rights to be determined and the required funds to be secured. Once credited to employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts, the amounts can earn investment returns before retirement, potentially increasing the value of their retirement benefits.
A circular issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on April 27, 2026, had directed Treasury funded MDAs to support the exercise and ensure that eligible employees were captured.
The pension rights being verified date back to the period before the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2004. Under Section 15(1) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, employees who moved into the CPS are entitled to benefits earned under the previous Defined Benefit Scheme.
These accrued rights cover pension and gratuity earned from an employee’s first appointment up to June 30, 2004. Active employees of federal government Treasury funded MDAs who were in service on that date fall within the category covered by the provision.
PenCom said the value of each employee’s accrued rights is determined through an actuarial valuation process, while the commission continues to work with MDAs, PFAs and other stakeholders to improve awareness and participation before the December deadline.
