Over 10,000 retired workers of the defunct NITEL and MTEL have cried out over 35 months of unpaid pension arrears. Speaking in Abuja, the pensioners—under the Progressive NITEL-MTEL Pensioners Forum—accused the Federal Government and PTAD of neglect and exclusion, despite being under the same Defined Benefits Scheme as other retirees. A 2024 Finance Ministry letter acknowledged the arrears were budgeted, but pensioners say they’ve received nothing.
• NITEL-MTEL pensioners are owed 35 months’ arrears, unlike peers from other defunct agencies.
• They were excluded from 2019 pension adjustments and the ₦32,000 increase.
• A 2024 Finance Ministry letter confirmed the arrears are in the Appropriation Act.
• PTAD says payment is underway but needs FG directives for other demands.
They built Nigeria’s telecom backbone yet they live in silence. The NITEL-MTEL pensioners’ struggle reveals the hidden burden of national development: those who served are left with unfulfilled promises. How does a government approve funds yet fail to deliver? The disconnect between policy and payment isn’t just bureaucratic, it's existential for retirees battling illness and grief. This isn’t only about money. It’s about memory, respect, and a broken link between service and dignity. In a country where oil pipelines get urgent repairs, why can’t pensions get urgent justice?
Sources: Tribune
