At 28, corporate lawyer Etim* had the basics down: a steady 9–5, modest lifestyle, and regular pension contributions through his Retirement Savings Account (RSA). But he didn’t realise that one simple tweak could supercharge his pension growth. In this story, he shares how a quiet shift made a huge difference.

The 9–5 Pension Hack I Wish I Knew Sooner

When I got my first job as a corporate lawyer in 2019, a pension was just one of those background things that needed to get done, like completing an attestation form or something. You sign the employment contract, HR asks for your Retirement Savings Account (RSA) details, and 8% of your salary disappears monthly. I didn’t overthink it. It felt like something “future me” would deal with.

Back then, I earned ₦180k. Between rent, black tax, and just trying to breathe in Lagos, I didn’t have much headspace for the future. I told myself I’d get serious once I started earning more.

And I did. By 2023, my monthly salary had climbed to ₦850k, and I was also making extra money from side briefs. I’d grown more intentional about my money; I built an emergency fund, tried a few investment apps, and even opened a mutual fund account.

Still, I barely thought about my pension. In my head, that 8% was enough. At least went in every month; I didn’t even remember what my balance was.

Then one day, after a meeting, I was chatting with a colleague who casually mentioned he’d been adding money to his pension on his own with something called AVC.

“What’s AVC?” I asked.

“Additional Voluntary Contribution”, he said. “It’s basically you topping up your own pension. You know how payroll deduct a portion? This one is you adding more. It helps it grow faster; besides I have a plan.”

I paused.

“You mean I can put more money into my retirement account… like deliberately?”

He nodded. “Yeah. And with the right PFA and consistency, your AVC and statutory contributions can perform even better.

That conversation sat with me.

That night, I logged into my Access ARM Pensions dashboard on the Access Buddy mobile app — they’ve been my pension fund administrator since I started this job. I hadn’t checked in almost two years. The balance was encouraging, but it also reminded me that I needed to do more if I wanted the lifestyle I dreamt of at retirement.

The next morning, I sent an email asking about AVCs. The process was easy. I had to decide how much I wanted to contribute, and how often, monthly, quarterly, or whenever I had extra. They shared a scenario based on my current status and a hypothetical simulation of additional contributions. The table looked like this:

ScenarioWithout AVCWith AVC (₦100,000 monthly)Current Age3030Retirement Age6060Years to Retirement3030Mandatory Contributions (RSA)₦153,000/month₦153,000/monthAVC Contributions–₦100,000/monthAssumed Annual Growth Rate10%10%Projected Retirement Savings₦184,000,000₦304,000,000

That’s a difference of ₦120 million at retirement — simply by adding ₦100,000 monthly in AVC.

I started small. ₦50k monthly. Suddenly, I wasn’t just relying on HR deductions anymore. I was actively building my future. I now had a deliberate plan.

My voluntary contributions went straight into my retirement savings account — only now, I was earning more because I was putting in more. And over time, that makes a big difference.

Some days, I still spend impulsively. But I also know my pension isn’t just sitting there — it’s working for me. And with AVC, I’m contributing more deliberately, which makes it work even harder.

I wish I’d started sooner. The good thing is, it’s not too late. So now, whenever I hear people say, “I’ll sort that out later,” I just smile and ask: “Do you know you can actually top up your pension right now?”

Most people don’t. But now I do, and you can too. Sometimes, knowing better really does make all the difference.

Bottom Line

Don’t wait; time lost can never be regained. Make intentional commitments today to secure your future! Whether you’re in a 9-5, building a business, or juggling side hustles, start your pension journey with Access ARM Pensions. Visit their website to open your retirement savings account today. Your money, your future, your move!