Retirees warn of possible port shutdowns as frustration grows over delayed pension increases and worsening living conditions…….
Retirees of the Nigerian Ports Authority have issued a fresh warning to authorities, threatening a nationwide protest over more than 16 years of unpaid pension adjustments.
Under the umbrella of the Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association, the pensioners say the planned protest will begin within seven days if their demands are not addressed. They also warned that the action could escalate to shutting down seaports across the country.
The association’s president, Charles Ayo Binitie, said the decision follows years of frustration over the failure of NPA management to implement the constitutionally mandated five-year pension increment.
According to him, the adjustment guaranteed under Nigerian law has not been properly applied since 2008.
Binitie described the situation as dire, noting that many retirees are now struggling to survive amid rising living costs and economic pressures.
“Only a few pensioners earn up to ₦100,000 monthly, while more than half receive between ₦50,000 and as low as ₦30,000,” he said, warning that the current reality has left many unable to afford basic healthcare and daily necessities.
He argued that the situation contradicts provisions of the Constitution, which require periodic pension reviews in line with wage increases for active workers. Instead, he alleged, increments granted by the authority have been arbitrary and significantly below what is legally required.
Despite repeated appeals, the association says its efforts have yielded little progress. Letters sent to the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission and the presidency through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation have yet to produce concrete action.
Binitie also dismissed claims of internal divisions within the group, insisting that past disputes have been settled through court rulings. He pointed to a judgment by the Lagos High Court Ikeja, which directed the association to hold an annual general meeting and conduct elections—processes that led to his emergence as president.
He further noted that a separate legal battle over alleged impersonation was resolved in September 2025, when a magistrate court in Apapa affirmed his leadership.
With internal issues settled, he said the association now speaks with one voice and that voice is demanding urgent action.
The group is calling on the federal government and relevant agencies to compel the NPA to implement all outstanding pension increases, including those tied to the 2024 minimum wage.
As tensions rise, the threat of port disruptions looms large raising concerns about potential economic fallout if one of Nigeria’s most critical sectors is drawn into the dispute.
