BY NGOZI ONYEAKUSI

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has commenced its inaugural National Pension Week 2026, with a renewed push to expand pension coverage, promote early retirement planning and strengthen financial security for Nigerians across different sectors of the economy.

The five-day programme, running from October 26 to 30, was designed to take pension awareness beyond the conventional workforce by engaging young people, entrepreneurs, self-employed Nigerians, retirees and other stakeholders in the pension industry.

The Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, said the initiative would become an annual event aimed at making pension planning a more prominent part of national conversations on financial security.

The programme opens with Youth Engagement Day, featuring pension education activities designed to encourage young Nigerians to begin planning for retirement early. It also includes a pension literacy essay competition for secondary school students, tertiary institution students and members of the National Youth Service Corps.

On Tuesday, October 27, attention will shift to entrepreneurs and small business owners through the National SME Fair, which is expected to promote pension participation among operators in the informal sector.

The initiative reflects PenCom’s efforts to widen access to retirement savings beyond workers in formal employment, particularly among traders, artisans, farmers, transport operators and other self-employed Nigerians.

Wednesday, October 28, will be dedicated to senior citizens, with discussions focusing on retirees’ welfare, pension entitlements and measures to improve retirement security.

The programme will continue on Thursday, October 29, with the National Pension Summit, bringing together regulators, pension professionals, employers and other stakeholders to deliberate on policy innovation, service delivery, accountability and strategies for expanding pension inclusion.

The final day, Friday, October 30, will be devoted to the media, providing an opportunity to review the week’s engagements and examine issues affecting pension contributors, retirees and the broader pension system.

Two initiatives expected to receive attention during the week are PenCare, designed to provide essential healthcare support for eligible low-income retirees, and the Minimum Pension Guarantee, intended to improve income protection for eligible retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

PenCom has also incorporated digital participation into the programme to enable Nigerians who cannot attend physical events to follow the activities and benefit from the pension education campaign.

The National Pension Week marks a significant step in the commission’s efforts to deepen public understanding of retirement planning and encourage broader participation in Nigeria’s pension system.

Through the initiative, PenCom is seeking to promote a pension culture in which financial preparation for retirement begins early and extends across different age groups, occupations and income levels.