By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom) Omolola Oloworaran, ssys it retiree healthcare initiative will be launched in November 2026 to reduce medical expenses for pensioners.
She gave the assurance on Wednesday during the Senior Citizens Fair on the third day of National Pension Week 2026, disclosing that a pilot phase is already underway ahead of the wider rollout.
Oloworaran said healthcare costs remained a major concern for retirees and reaffirmed PenCom’s commitment to improving retirement benefits, addressing disparities in pension payments and protecting senior citizens’ welfare.
She also identified disparities in pension payments as a challenge requiring attention and reaffirmed PenCom’s commitment to strengthening policies and regulations to improve retirement outcomes.
The Director-General urged retirees to share their experiences with the pension system to help the commission identify service gaps and improve service delivery.
Earlier the Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Charles Efe-Emukowhate, said healthcare support would help retirees preserve their pension income for other essential needs after years of service.
Emukowhate commended President Bola Tinubu over the reported settlement of ₦758 billion in inherited pension liabilities, describing it as a significant step towards addressing outstanding pension obligations.
He credited PenCom Director-General Omolola Oloworaran with advancing efforts to address pension-related concerns and improve pension administration.
The commissioner assured retirees that PenCom would continue to strengthen regulatory oversight, improve operational efficiency and protect pension savings to ensure beneficiaries receive their entitlements as and when due.
He also warned pensioners against fraudsters who promise to double their savings or offer suspicious investment opportunities, advising them to verify such claims with PenCom or their Pension Fund Administrators before making financial commitments.
Meanwhile, Consultant Geriatrician and Founder of JBS Gerontology Centre, Dr Olutoyin Akande-Ajala, urged retirees to embrace healthy ageing and maintain their independence, dignity and quality of life.
Speaking virtually at the fair, she explained that healthy ageing involved managing medical conditions effectively while maintaining the ability to perform everyday activities, rather than living without illness.
Akande-Ajala advised older persons to exercise regularly, eat balanced meals, monitor their blood pressure and blood sugar, undergo routine medical checks and take prescribed medicines correctly.
She also urged retirees to seek medical attention for persistent symptoms such as recurrent falls, increasing forgetfulness, unexplained weight loss and persistent fatigue instead of dismissing them as normal signs of ageing.
The geriatrician stressed the importance of maintaining social connections, engaging in mentally stimulating activities and seeking support for depression and significant memory changes. She also called on families to respect older persons’ independence and involve them in decisions affecting their welfare.
The Senior Citizens Fair, organised by PenCom and the pension industry under the theme, “Pension for All: Building a Secure Future Together,” brought together retirees, pension professionals and people approaching retirement to discuss healthcare, financial security and ways to improve the quality of life in retirement.
