PenCom introduces automatic penalties for late pension payments

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Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Omolola Oloworaran.

The National Pension Commission has introduced an automated system to calculate penalties against employers who fail to remit workers’ pension contributions on time. In fact, the focus of this reform clearly addresses PenCom pension remittance penalties.

According to The PUNCH, PenCom Director-General Omolola Oloworaran announced the measure during the commission’s 2026 annual media conference in Abuja on Tuesday, highlighting the importance of tackling PenCom pension remittance penalties more efficiently.

The development forms part of efforts to strengthen compliance with the Pension Reform Act and protect workers’ retirement savings.

Under the arrangement, employers with outstanding remittances or unpaid penalties will be unable to obtain Pension Clearance Certificates until they settle their obligations.

PenCom strengthens pension compliance

Oloworaran explained that penalties for late contributions already existed under the law, but the new system would make enforcement of PenCom pension remittance penalties more effective.

Employers seeking clearance certificates would have their outstanding liabilities calculated automatically.

The certificates are required for certain government contracts and other transactions that depend on evidence of pension compliance.

“We are going after employers who are not contributing and also those who are not contributing in time as well,” she said.

The PenCom chief warned that deducting pension contributions from workers’ salaries without transferring the money to their Retirement Savings Accounts violated the law, and PenCom pension remittance penalties await offenders.

PenCom recovers N36.6bn from employers

Oloworaran disclosed that cumulative recoveries from defaulting employers reached N36.6 billion as of July 2026.

She explained that the commission had engaged recovery agents to examine employers’ records and identify outstanding liabilities.

PenCom also restricts pension fund operators from investing in companies that fail to fulfil their pension obligations.

The commission disclosed that pension assets rose from N20.79 trillion in July 2024 to N31.48 trillion in June 2026.

It also reported that more Nigerians had joined the Contributory Pension Scheme during the period.

Oloworaran maintained that the new measures would strengthen accountability and ensure that workers receive the retirement benefits owed to them.

She urged employers to remit pension contributions promptly to avoid penalties and other regulatory consequences. Clearly, PenCom pension remittance penalties are becoming a central aspect of industry compliance.

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