Pains of low-income retirees reveal underbelly of pensions

For many retired Nigerians, old age is no longer a season of rest but of reckoning. After decades of work, countless pensioners now live with the quiet fear of running out of money before the month ends. Their pensions meant to guarantee dignity barely stretch to cover the cost of food, healthcare, and rent in an economy where inflation erodes savings faster than they can grow.

A recent BusinessDay survey of pensioners across the country reveals the starkness of this reality. The questionnaire divided respondents into income bands and asked

For many retired Nigerians, old age is no longer a season of rest but of reckoning. After decades of work, countless pensioners now live with the quiet fear of running out of money before the month ends. Their pensions meant to guarantee dignity barely stretch to cover the cost of food, healthcare, and rent in an economy where inflation erodes savings faster than they can grow.

A recent BusinessDay survey of pensioners across the country reveals the starkness of this reality. The questionnaire divided respondents into income bands and asked