ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Government has started paying additional exit benefits to retirees of treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

About 1.1 billion naira has been paid to 175 civil servants who retired between January 1 and August 31, 2026.

The payment is under the Federal Government Exit Benefit Scheme, approved by the Federal Executive Council. It took effect from January 1, 2026.

Under the scheme, federal civil servants who served for at least 10 years will get an exit benefit equal to 100 percent of their total annual salary. This is in addition to their pension under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

The 2026 budget provided 32.9 billion naira for the scheme. So far, 12.3 billion naira has been released into a dedicated account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The National Pension Commission, PenCom, is coordinating the process with the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the Accountant General’s Office, and Pension Fund Administrators.

To get paid, retirees must submit their clearance letter and recent payslips to their PFA. The PFA verifies the records and forwards them to PenCom for approval. Once approved, the money is paid into the retiree’s Retirement Savings Account, then transferred to their bank account.

PenCom said the scheme is designed to give retiring workers more financial support. Officials said it shows government’s commitment to improving welfare for public servants after retirement.