NPF Pensions Marks 2026 Customer Week, Defends Returns Amid Falling Interest Rates
By Sunday Etuka
NPF Pensions Limited says it is taking its services directly to the pockets of police retirees, with a WhatsApp platform that has already onboarded nearly 100,000 officers, as it marked its 2026 Customer Week in Abuja.
Acting Managing Director, NPF Pensions, Mohammed Dutse, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on activities lined up for the week.
“Service is now at the fingertips of our customers. They do not need to travel to our offices to get help,” Dutse said, adding that staff performance targets are tied to how many officers are signed up on the platform.
Asked how the firm would sustain its performance after the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recent rate adjustment, Dutse said NPF Pensions does not depend on bank deposits alone.
“Rates move up and down with inflation and the state of the economy, but we have other windows to harness,” he said, citing private equity funds, infrastructure funds, energy projects and the stock market.
He said the firm’s investments have returned an average of 23 to 24 per cent annually over the past five years, with one year reaching almost 37 per cent. The firm expects client numbers to grow as the government moves ahead with plans to recruit about 50,000 police officers this year.
Responding to a question on how the company has handled customer complaints since the last Customer Week, Dutse said management had changed how it engages clients.
“Every one of us, myself included, has become a relationship manager. I have clients assigned to me, and I call them personally,” he said.
Dutse acknowledged that many retirees are unhappy with their current pension payouts. He said the federal government is working to improve them, with a presidential committee reviewing the arrangement.
He pointed to the clearance of pension arrears that had built up for more than 24 months and to adjustments to pensions dating back to 2007, which he said cost the government over N750 billion.
“We appeal to our customers for patience. We have been with them from the beginning, and we are doing our best to resolve these issues,” he said.
On gratuity, he confirmed that payments have begun for police officers who retired within the period in question.
Dutse highlighted the Retirement Resettlement Support Programme, which assists police retirees before their benefits are released by the Central Bank and the Pension Commission. Thousands of officers have benefited, he said.
The firm also trains officers before retirement on life after service, including small business skills such as poultry farming, to help them earn extra income.
“No other pension operator offers this kind of support,” he said.
Asked about the firm’s relationship with police retiree associations, which have been involved in protests, Dutse said NPF Pensions maintains cordial ties with the three or four groups, built on transparency and regular meetings, some held jointly with police authorities.
During the week, customers will be briefed at the company’s offices nationwide on new guidelines under the pension scheme, including the option to use 25 per cent of their contributions as equity towards owning a home.
