The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has threatened to stage a nationwide naked protest on October 6 if the Federal Government fails to implement approved pension increases and pay outstanding palliatives.
The group made this known during a press conference held in Lagos on Tuesday. The National Chairman of the coalition, Mr. Mukaila Ogunbote, said the protest would go ahead if the government does not act before the end of September.
“We are giving the government till the end of September to settle the arrears, implement the pension increment, and pay us the palliatives,” he said. “If nothing is done, we will be left with no other option than to go naked on the streets across the country.”
According to Ogunbote, the planned protest is not just a demonstration, but a symbolic action to expose how badly pensioners have been treated in Nigeria. “The naked protest is meant to show the government’s failure and the suffering of senior citizens who served the country,” he added.
He recalled that in October 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved palliatives of ₦35,000 for workers and ₦25,000 for pensioners to help cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. However, the pensioners say they have not received the payments.
Ogunbote also revealed that the Federal Government had promised a ₦32,000 pension increment, but this amount was allegedly omitted from both the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
“When we enquired, we were told our ₦32,000 increment was not included in the national budget. This is injustice,” he said.
The coalition expressed deep disappointment that the government had continued to neglect the welfare of pensioners despite several promises. They warned that they are ready to take to the streets in large numbers if their demands are not met.
Many Nigerian pensioners face hardship due to delayed or unpaid benefits, and the rising cost of living has made their situation worse. The removal of fuel subsidy and the high inflation rate have increased the financial burden on retirees, many of whom depend solely on their monthly pensions.
The group called on President Tinubu to urgently intervene and ensure that pensioners are treated fairly.
