PenCom Flags ₦1.3 Billion Pension Debt by Newspapers, Launches Joint Crackdown with Press Council
By Springnewsng Media Limited | April 29, 2025
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has revealed that newspaper organisations across Nigeria owe over ₦1.3 billion in unpaid pension contributions for their journalists, in clear violation of the Pension Reform Act 2014 (PRA 2014).
This disclosure was made by Omolola Oloworaran, Director General of PenCom, during a visit to the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) on Monday in Abuja. Oloworaran expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of non-compliance among media establishments, warning that the persistent neglect threatens journalists’ future welfare.
As a response, PenCom and the NPC have entered a strategic partnership aimed at compelling defaulting newspaper organisations to settle the huge backlog of pension liabilities. The move marks a significant shift in enforcement, particularly targeting the media sector for the first time at such a high level.
The two parties also agreed to the establishment of a joint working group of PenCom and the Nigerian Press Council tasked with ensuring a speedy resolution of the issue.
Oloworaran stressed that the PRA 2014 mandates employers to remit pension contributions into employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) no later than seven days after salary payments. Despite this legal requirement, many media houses have flouted the rule, forcing PenCom to appoint Recovery Agents to audit their accounts and determine outstanding debts and penalties.
“In recent months, PenCom has intensified its enforcement efforts through partnerships with regulatory bodies. This collaboration with the Nigerian Press Council is a critical step in resolving long-standing pension issues in the media industry,” she stated.
She also appealed to the NPC to aid in advocacy and sensitisation, stressing that pension contributions are vital for shielding journalists from poverty in retirement. “Pension is a vital component of our social security system, and even the government has begun to take it more seriously,” she added.
Responding, Dili Ezughah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, pledged the Council’s full support. He vowed to take the matter to key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
Ezughah condemned the widespread failure of media organisations to remit pension dues, describing it as a major obstacle to journalists’ welfare and a longstanding challenge in the Nigerian media industry.
