There was something profoundly unsettling about the image of pensioners protesting in the streets on the 31st of August/26. Not because citizens should not protest, seeing that peaceful protest remains one of the most visible instruments available to citizens, when conversations with government appear to have reached a dead end. What is unsettling is the concern about the kind of social contract that allows people who have spent decades serving the state, to now spend their retirement time fighting the same state, for their means of survival.
The crisis has escalated through a series of tactical maneuvers and ignored warnings throughout 2026, which will be detailed as follows:
January 2026: The Nigeria Union of Pensioners’ Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS) submitted a formal policy template to the Lagos State Government, providing a structured roadmap for pension enhancement and the implementation of outstanding adjustments.
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