Retirees of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have issued a warning to shut down seaports across the country over the non-payment of pension benefits spanning more than 16 years.
The threat was made by the Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association, which said it would commence a nationwide protest within seven days if its demands remain unmet.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its president, Charles Ayo Binitie, blamed the situation on the failure of NPA management to implement the constitutionally required five-year pension increment, which he said has not been effected since 2008.
Binitie described the situation as troubling, especially given Nigeria’s current economic challenges. He noted that only a small number of retirees receive pensions of up to N100,000, while more than half earn between N50,000 and as little as N30,000 monthly.
He argued that the existing pension structure violates Section 173(3) of the constitution, which provides for periodic pension reviews.
According to him, several attempts by the association to resolve the matter have been unsuccessful. He said letters had been sent to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission as well as the presidency through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, but no meaningful action had followed.
“The NPA has failed to submit necessary documents to the Wages Commission for over 15 years, preventing any upward review of pensions,” he stated.
Binitie also dismissed reports of internal divisions within the association, saying leadership disputes had been settled through court rulings, including decisions by a Lagos High Court and an Apapa Magistrate Court in September 2025, both of which affirmed his leadership.
He emphasized that the association is now united and warned that the worsening economic conditions faced by retirees have reached a breaking point.
The group called on the federal government and relevant authorities to compel the NPA to pay all outstanding benefits, including pension increases linked to the 2024 minimum wage.
