Zamfara Approves ₦32,000 Monthly Pension Increase for State, LG Retirees

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has approved a ₦32,000 monthly increase in pensions for all retirees in the state as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising living costs and improve the welfare of senior citizens.

The approval was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mahmud Mohammed Dantawasa.

According to the statement, the additional ₦32,000 will be paid on top of the existing monthly pensions and will benefit retirees from both the Zamfara State Government and the 14 local government councils.

The commissioner said Governor Lawal had directed the State Accountant General to commence immediate implementation of the increment and ensure prompt payment to all eligible pensioners.

He described the decision as another demonstration of the administration's commitment to improving the welfare of retired public servants who devoted decades of service to the state.

"The approval is another clear demonstration of the Rescue Mission Administration's commitment to improving the welfare of senior citizens and ensuring that retired public servants who devoted their productive years to the service of Zamfara State receive the support and dignity they deserve," the statement said.

Dantawasa added that the governor remains committed to implementing people-centred policies designed to ease the effects of the country's economic challenges while meeting the government's obligations to workers, pensioners and other residents.

He assured pensioners that the state government would continue to prioritise their welfare through policies and programmes aimed at improving their standard of living.

The latest increase comes as several state governments across Nigeria continue to review salaries and pension payments in response to the economic pressures that followed recent fiscal and monetary reforms. While many states have implemented the new national minimum wage for serving workers, governments are also facing growing calls to improve pension benefits to help retirees cope with higher food, transportation and healthcare costs.

For many pensioners, fixed monthly incomes have been significantly eroded by inflation, making pension reviews an increasingly important component of state welfare policies. Zamfara's latest decision is expected to provide additional financial relief to thousands of retired civil servants and local government workers across the state.