Retired workers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) staged a protest on Monday at the agency's headquarters in Marina, Lagos, demanding the implementation of pension increments and improved welfare payments amid worsening economic hardship.
Protest Details
The protesters, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association (NPAPWA), accused the authorities of failing to fully implement statutory pension reviews as provided under Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). According to the retirees, some pensioners currently receive as low as N30,000 monthly, while previous increases ranging between three and 11.5 percent were described as arbitrary and insufficient to meet present economic realities.
The Guardian observed that active workers also took part during the protest. This followed earlier threats by the association to shut down port operations nationwide in April 2026 after issuing a seven-day ultimatum to authorities.
Statements from Protesters
“We have not received any increments in four years now, and everything is hard, the government have continue to do as if everything is fine,” a protester told The Guardian.
However, the planned shutdown was suspended after interventions and communications from the Presidency, relevant government agencies, and NPA management, with negotiations still ongoing over the payment of arrears and pension reforms.
Demands and Context
Speaking during the demonstration, the pensioners urged the federal government and NPA management to urgently reconcile outstanding issues to prevent further escalation. They maintained that retirees who devoted decades of service to Nigeria’s maritime sector deserved benefits that reflect current living conditions.
The development comes amid broader reforms in Nigeria’s pension sector, including recent welfare improvements announced by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) for some categories of retirees under various pension schemes.
As discussions continue, stakeholders expressed cautious optimism that ongoing engagements would produce a fair resolution for thousands of retired port workers.
