The Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector (NUPCPS) has condemned the removal of retirees from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), describing the decision as unfair, insensitive, and inhumane.
The union’s National Secretary, Mr. John Bisan, expressed the group’s displeasure during a two-day Sensitisation and Enlightenment Workshop on the workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) held in Lagos.
Bisan lamented that many retired workers were being denied health insurance coverage at the stage of life when they needed it the most, despite their years of dedicated service to the nation.
“I don’t know whether the Director-General of PenCom is aware that once you turn 60—or retire from service, even at 55—you are removed from the NHIS. This is unfair,” Bisan said.
“I cannot serve my country for 35 years, give my youthful and useful age to national service, only to be told after retirement that I am no longer entitled to healthcare. This is the period we need it the most.”
Retirees Facing Health and Financial Hardship
The NUPCPS secretary warned that the policy has left thousands of pensioners vulnerable, many of whom are battling chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, without the financial capacity to access treatment.
“Many pensioners are dying because we can’t afford drugs or medical tests,” Bisan said. “The government must restore free healthcare for retirees immediately. In countries like the UK and the US, the elderly have access to healthcare at no cost—why can’t Nigeria do the same?”
PenCom Responds with New Healthcare Initiative
Responding to the concerns, the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, represented by Mr. Mutiu Muslim, the Commission’s Head of South-West Zonal Office, said that PenCom had launched a free healthcare access initiative targeted at low-income retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
She explained that the initiative forms part of the Commission’s broader efforts to enhance social protection and uphold dignity for retirees.
“Healthcare access is a key component of social protection,” she said. “The Commission is committed to ensuring that retirees, especially those in the low-income category, have access to basic healthcare services.”
Stakeholders Call for Urgent Policy Reversal
Participants at the workshop urged the Federal and State Governments to take decisive steps toward restoring NHIS coverage for all retirees, stressing that the welfare of pensioners reflects a nation’s respect for those who have served it faithfully.
They argued that ensuring access to healthcare for the elderly should be seen as both a moral obligation and a measure of national development.
“A country that neglects its pensioners undermines its own values,” one participant remarked. “Restoring NHIS benefits to retirees would reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to social justice and human dignity.”
