The Federal Government has paid about N1.1 billion in additional exit benefits to 175 civil servants who retired from Treasury-funded ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) between January 1 and August 31, 2026.
The payment is being made under the Federal Government Exit Benefit Scheme (EBS), approved by the Federal Executive Council and effective from January 1, 2026.
According to a statement by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) on Friday, Under the scheme, federal civil servants who have served for at least 10 years are entitled to an additional exit benefit equivalent to 100 percent of their total annual emolument at retirement, alongside their pension benefits under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
“The Federal Government has commenced the payment of Additional Exit Benefits to retirees of Treasury funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with approximately N1.1 billion already paid to 175 retirees who exited the Federal Public Service between 1 January and 31 August 2026.
“The payment is being made under the Federal Government Exit Benefit Scheme (EBS), approved by the Federal Executive Council and effective from 1 January 2026,” the statement read
PenCom, which is supporting the implementation of the scheme, said the maiden payment marked the commencement of the additional benefits for retiring federal workers.
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The 2026 Appropriation Act provided N32.90 billion for the implementation of the scheme, while the Federal Government has so far released N12.3 billion into the dedicated Exit Benefit Scheme Account maintained with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
PenCom said it was working with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and other stakeholders to process and pay the benefits.
Under the payment process, retirees are required to submit documents, including their clearance letters and recent payslips, to their PFAs.
The PFAs verify the retirees’ records and forward the details to PenCom for validation and approval. Once approved, the exit benefit is credited to the retiree’s Retirement Savings Account (RSA), after which the PFA transfers the full amount to the retiree’s designated salary bank account.
PenCom clarified that the payment is an additional benefit and does not replace the regular pension benefits retirees receive from their RSA balances.
The commission said the scheme would provide additional financial support to retiring federal civil servants and strengthen the benefits available to workers upon leaving active service.
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It added that all subsequent retirees of Treasury-funded MDAs who meet the eligibility requirements would be entitled to the additional exit benefit.
PenCom said it remained committed to working with relevant government institutions and PFAs to ensure the smooth implementation of the scheme and prompt payment of benefits to eligible retirees.
