Military Pensions Board Chairman Addresses Pension Disputes

Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), assured military retirees in Abuja on Tuesday that their complaints regarding disparities in pension adjustments would be thoroughly investigated. This assurance followed concerns that recent salary increases of 30 to 80 percent for serving military personnel had not been reflected in the pensions of some retirees.

Abdulraheem clarified that the MPB does not independently determine pension rates but relies on salary structures and circulars from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). He noted that the revised Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure took effect on September 1, 2026, and a separate circular for pension and gratuity calculations was issued by the NSIWC.

To ensure transparency, he stated that relevant authorities would be invited to clarify the applicable rates and the calculation of revised pension figures. Concerns were raised by veterans, including Retired Major Jay Onje and Retired Master Warrant Officer Duru Augustine, regarding the basis for their revised payments.