Lagos retirees have had enough — and they’re making it known. In a bold move, the Lagos chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has given Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu a 14-day ultimatum to settle long-overdue entitlements or face mass protests.
Speaking at a press briefing on April 2, 2025, the union, which represents senior citizens under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), said their patience is wearing thin. Their demands? Immediate payment of a ₦32,000 pension adjustment effective from July 2024, and 57 months’ worth of back pay from a 2019 agreement.
Chairman Rev. Oluremi Johnson expressed dismay over failed attempts to get the attention of key government officials, despite previous warm relations with the governor.
“We’ve written letters, made calls, even tried to meet the Head of Service and LASPEC DG — nothing,” he said. “We once gifted the governor a package back in 2022, but since then, silence. We didn’t want to embarrass him, but enough is enough.”
The pensioners are also fighting for the implementation of a five-yearly 20% pension increment starting January 2024 and the inclusion of all retirees in state parastatals on the ORACLE payroll system.
Vice Chairman Rev. Dr. Titus Gregory Aderemi painted a grim picture of their living conditions. “They’ve messed up our lives. Some of us live on ₦5,000 a month,” he said. “We’re not asking for miracles, just what we’ve earned. After the subsidy removal, prices soared — but our pensions didn’t.”
He added poignantly, “We are senior citizens, not senior miscreants. But the government is pushing us to the wall.”
In response, LASPEC’s Director-General Babalola Obilana assured the public that the Sanwo-Olu administration remains committed to pensioners’ welfare. He cited a recently approved review of pensions, including a 28% bump for retirees on Grade Level 17 and 20% for others, implemented ahead of the federal circular released in April.
Obilana also referenced a ₦25,000 wage supplement given to all pensioners from December 2023 to February 2024 and maintained that the administration runs an open-door policy.
“Any delays in communication were not intentional. We’re always willing to engage,” he said. “Pensioners will always be a priority in Lagos State.”
Still, the pensioners say actions speak louder than press statements. If their demands aren’t met in 14 days, they’re ready to take to the streets — not as troublemakers, but as forgotten elders demanding justice.
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