Police Chief Proposes 200% Gratuity, Improved Pensions for Retired Officer

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has proposed a 200 per cent gratuity for retired police officers as part of efforts to address longstanding concerns over inadequate retirement benefits and delays in pension payments.

The proposal is currently before a presidential committee established to examine the pension challenges facing personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and recommend sustainable reforms. The committee comprises representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Pension Commission.

Under the proposed arrangement, eligible officers would receive pension benefits linked to their last salaries alongside the enhanced gratuity. The plan is also expected to address complaints from serving police officers who have repeatedly called for an exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Disu said the proposed reforms were designed to settle outstanding pension liabilities, improve the financial welfare of retired personnel and establish a more efficient system for administering retirement benefits.

The initiative is also expected to consider officers who retired before any new pension framework is introduced. Their benefits could be reviewed in line with any revised terms, although the eligibility requirements and implementation details would depend on the final recommendations and government approval.

The development comes amid years of complaints by retired police officers over low pension payments, administrative bottlenecks and delays in receiving their entitlements. Some retirees have reportedly waited up to two years for outstanding payments.

The Federal Government has also reportedly cleared pension payment backlogs and introduced increases that have resulted in some beneficiaries receiving nearly twice their previous payments.

However, the proposed 200 per cent gratuity has not yet been approved. Its implementation will depend on the presidential committee’s recommendations, government authorisation, funding arrangements and the guidelines ultimately adopted.

If approved, the reforms could mark a significant change in retirement benefits for eligible police personnel and help address ongoing disagreements over the existing pension system.