General
Pencom Begs Ogun, Rivers, 24 Others to Adopt Contributory Pension Scheme
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has urged 26 states of the federation to implement the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for a pension-secure Nigeria.
This is coming as the commission commended Lagos, FCT, Osun, Kaduna, Ekiti, Edo, Ondo, Delta, Benue, Anambra, and Jigawa for their exemplary implementation of the CPS as of December 2024.
According to the statement by the commission, these states have set the benchmark for sustainable pension administration by ensuring that retirees receive their entitlements promptly. They are consistently remitting both employer and employee pension contributions under the CPS, Jigawa State remits contributions under the Contributory Defined Benefits Scheme (CDBS).
The Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014, in Section 2(1), stipulates that the CPS applies to all public sector employees across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), states, local governments, and the private sector.
The statement said that state governments have the constitutional right to legislate pension matters within their jurisdictions in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The agency said state governments were required to domesticate the CPS by enacting appropriate pension laws within their states.
In August 2006, the National Council of States adopted the CPS for all states and local governments to support this adoption, PenCom developed a Model State Pension Law, enabling state governments to modify it according to their unique needs.
According to the statement, PenCom reviews draft state pension laws and guides states throughout the implementation process.
The commission said that many states were yet to implement the CPS.
“For a state to implement the CPS in full, the state is required to enact a law on CPS, establish a Pension Bureau, register its employees with Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and commence remittance of pension contributions.
“The state is also required to carry out actuarial valuation, commence funding of accrued pension rights, procure group life insurance for its employees, and open and fund a retirement benefits bond redemption fund account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or PFA,” the statement said.
The commission said that some states had enacted laws to adopt the CPS but have not yet made significant strides towards implementation.
The states include Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.
PenCom urges these states to accelerate their efforts toward full implementation of the CPS by timely remittance of both employer and employee pension contributions.
The statement said that by taking decisive action, these states can align with the pacesetters in ensuring a secure and sustainable retirement scheme for their workforce.
According to the statement, PenCom observes that Akwa Ibom, Borno, Kwara, Plateau, Cross River, and Yobe are yet to commence the implementation of the CPS.
“PenCom strongly encourages these states to expedite the enactment of their CPS laws and take immediate steps toward full implementation to ensure a secure and sustainable pension system for their workforce.”
It added that the transition from the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS) to the CPS at the state and local government levels is both a significant and inevitable step.
The scheme was designed to ensure that all retirees receive their benefits in a timely manner, providing a sustainable and secure retirement for all public sector employees.
The commission said that the CPS offers a long-term solution to the pension liabilities that many states currently face.
PenCom warned that failure to adopt the CPS would worsen pension debts, creating financial burdens for future administrations.
“By failing to address pension arrears, states are inadvertently creating a financial burden for future generations, as these liabilities will continue to grow.
“Adopting the CPS now will help states avoid these escalating costs and provide a more secure financial future for both retirees and taxpayers,” it added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari of a 23-count charge of alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Mr Kyari is being charged alongside his two brothers, who were accused of swearing to false affidavits to conceal the origin of some properties.
The court in its judgment held that the NDLEA failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove its case against the defendants, which is mostly the non-declaration of land properties.
Justice Omotosho noted that proving ownership of landed properties can be done through traditional history, title, acts of possession and possession by connection.
The prosecution did not provide any of these documents to show that the said properties located in Fountain Estate, Kasana, which belong to Ramatu Kyari, are truly owned by the police officer.
Also, the court held that the prosecution did not provide the same material evidence linking Mr Kyari to properties in Linda Choko Road, Asokoro and also Maiduguri in Borno State.
Mr Kyari, in his defense said the properties in Borno belonged to his father, which he left for him and his siblings.
It was judged that the prosecution did not prove otherwise, adding that the prosecution charged Mr Kyari’s brothers in bad faith for alleged conspiracy, which they failed to prove.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The chief executive of Netnaija Media Enterprises, Mr Emmanuel Analike, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).
The suspect appeared before Justice Suleiman Liman on Wednesday over allegations bordering on copyright infringement.
He was accused by the NCC of using his online platform to make movies and others not belonging to him available for users to download on the internet.
According to the agency, Mr Analike has infringed copies of audio-visual materials distributed online via his website for online users. Netnaija is an online movie and music download site.
The prosecution counsel, Ms Gladys Isaac-Ojo, who works with the NCC, told the court that the defendant committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 44 (1) (a) of the Copyright Act, 2022.
However, Mr Analike pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him, prompting his counsel, Nnemeka Ejiofor, seek his bail.
The lawyer informed the court that the application was filed on Monday and supported by 23 paragraphs of affidavits and a written address.
But the judge refused to give a bench ruling and adjourned the ruling of the bail application to Monday, March 9, 2026, ordering the remand of the Netnaija chief in Kuje Correctional Centre.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Entries for the 2026 edition of the world’s largest green business ideas competition, ClimateLaunchpad, have opened.
In 2025, the programme, organised by Climate KIC, received over 2,700 applications from 40 countries. The winning ventures gain prize money, investor connections, and access to a global cleantech network.
This year’s edition is expected to be bigger and better, with climate innovators, green venture builders, and entrepreneurs from around the world given the opportunity to apply.
Since its inception in 2014, the programme has supported nearly 5,000 ideas across 97 countries, and this year, it is expanding its presence in Asia with Singapore hosting both the regional final and global grand final for the first time.
Participants move through several stages, including an initial mini-course to refine the concept, an intensive multi-day Boot Camp led by expert trainers, targeted coaching to perfect value propositions and investor pitches, national and regional finals, and a place at the global grand final, with prizes and access to a global climate network.
“Strengthening ClimateLaunchpad’s presence in Asia marks a profound new chapter for this programme and for the climate innovation movement more broadly. Asia is where so much of the world’s climate and nature future will be shaped, through business leadership, public-private partnerships and long-term strategic thinking,” the chief executive of Climate KIC, Kirsten Dunlop, stated.
“We look forward to supporting this momentum with new business ideas and innovation ecosystem collaborations across more than a dozen countries.
“This expansion opens space for deeper cross-cultural connections and for first-time founders to turn sparks of imagination into solutions that serve both people and planet,” Dunlop added.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Better Earth Ventures, Ms Rebecca Sharpe, said, “We are proud to host ClimateLaunchpad’s regional and global grand final in Singapore and to convene an international group of climate entrepreneurs from more than 50 countries.
“Climate solutions are emerging from every corner of the world, and bringing them together creates the kind of cross-border exchange and collaboration this moment demands. Our focus is to ensure early-stage founders have the structure, ecosystem access and support needed to move from idea to credible impact.”
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn