PenCom Kicks Off Online Verification For MDAs’ Retirees

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has started its online verification and enrolment for prospective retirees and retirees of Federal Government Treasury Funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the Director-General, Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar has said.

Announcing this, Mrs. Dahir-Umar, called on prospective retirees to ensure that they undergo the compulsory Data Recapture Exercise (DRE).

She promised retirees an hitch-free exercise and enjoined them to seek more information from its website and guidance from any Pension Fund Administartors (PFAs).

She stated that the exercise was aimed at validating the accrued pension liabilities of government for the retirees.

She said accrued pension right represents an employee’s benefit for past years of service from the date of his or her first appointment to June 30, 2004 when the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) took off.

She further stated that payment of accrued right is in line with Section 15 of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 (PRA, 2014), which notes that payment of accrued pension benefits which an employee is entitled under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

She said: “The accrued right is a component of the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) of the employee to be accessed upon retirement. In the past, the enrolment and verification for the eligible employees was carried out physically in different locations around the country. However, following the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which restricted the movement of persons, PenCom designed and developed an online Enrolment Application with the capabilities to register, verify and enrol the prospective retirees.

“The exercise is for employees of Federal Government Treasury- Funded MDAs who are scheduled to retire in 2022. The exercise would also accommodate FGN retirees of the previous years. However, prospective retirees must ensure that they undergo the compulsory DRE. The DRE is to ensure that eligible employees have updated their personnel information as well as the National Identity Number (NIN). The enrolment and verification exercise happens in three phases which include Registration, Verification, and Enrolment.”

On registration, the PenCom boss said the commission has provided two options for the registration.

“There is the self-assisted and the Pension Desk Officer (PDO)/Pension Fund Administrator (PFA)-assisted processes. Under the self-assisted online process, retirees/prospective retirees visit PenCom’s website (www.pencom.gov.ng) to register.The information is displayed on the home page. A click on the enrolment tab would reveal a drop down box that shows the step-by-step procedure for enrolment. This phase requires the user to register his or her personal and employment details and upload the supporting documents.

“On the other hand, the PDO/PFA option entails obtaining the assistance of the PDO or the PFA for the process. It simply means that eligible retirees, who for various reasons, are unable to register online on PenCom’s website can register through the PDOs in the MDAs. Such eligible retirees can also go to their PFAs to carry out the registration. The PDOs and PFAs would guide the retiree through the process of registration and to upload the supporting documents.”

On verification, she said: “In line with the PRA 2014, the PFAs are responsible for verifying the retirees or prospective retirees. The exercise entails that the PFAs must ensure that the details provided by the retiree or prospective retiree are correct. The PFAs are to further assist with the documentation by sighting the original or certified true copies of documents submitted by the retirees and ensure that the documents collected are uploaded.

“For enrolment, the PFAs are also responsible for enrolment of the retirees or prospective retirees. This process entails capturing the biometric data of the retiree/prospective retiree, including live passport photograph. Thereafter, the PFA shall print two copies of the Registration Slip (Enrolment Slip), for the prospective retiree to sign. The said enrolment slip shall thereafter be counter signed by the Enrollment Officer and a copy would be given to the prospective retiree.

“It is important that the retiree or prospective retiree should ensure that he or she has the documentation required for registration. This can be found on PenCom’s website.’’