The Niger State Government is set to launch a digital pension administration platform aimed at improving transparency, efficiency and accessibility while reducing administrative bottlenecks in pension service delivery.
The platform, known as the Niger State Pension Administration System (NPAS), is being developed by the State Pension Board to modernise pension administration through technology.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Bologi Ibrahim, spokesperson to state Governor, the Director-General (DG) of the Niger State Pension Board, Nasiru Saidu Namaska, disclosed this during a test run of the platform at the Board’s headquarters in Minna.
Namaska said the exercise was designed to assess the platform’s functionality, identify areas requiring improvement and obtain feedback from stakeholders ahead of its implementation, scheduled for two months.
The DG explained that the digital portal would enable retirees to access their personal information and monitor the status of their pension benefits.
He added that active contributors under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) would also be able to conveniently access their pension contribution records.
Namsaka described the initiative as a significant milestone in the Board’s efforts to modernise pension administration and improve services to retirees.
He commended Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for his continued support, assuring that the Board remained committed to protecting the interests of pensioners through a more transparent, accessible and efficient system.
In his remarks, the Head of Service, Abubakar Sadiq Idris, commended the Pension Board for the initiative and called for stronger collaboration among the Board, the Office of the Head of Service and the Ministry of Finance to establish a seamless pension database.
Idris also stressed the need for a sustainable data storage system to safeguard pensioners’ records and documented files.
He further recommended regular capacity-building programmes for staff of the Board to ensure effective management and sustainability of the digital platform.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Forum of Retired Permanent Secretaries in Niger State, Mohammed Madugu, praised the innovation, saying it would ease the burden on pensioners and help both retirees and the state government save resources.
The event featured interactive sessions during which participants made recommendations and sought clarification on areas requiring further improvement ahead of the platform’s full implementation.
