The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has initiated a significant campaign aimed at enrolling one million women from Nigeria’s informal sector into the Personal Pension Plan. This initiative was publicly launched by PenCom Director-General, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, during an outreach campaign coinciding with International Women’s Day at the Mile 12 Market in Lagos. The campaign is designed to ensure that women who play a crucial role in the economy, yet lack formal retirement benefits, can secure their financial future through this pension scheme.

The thematic focus of the campaign, “Give to Gain – Save Small Today, Gain Big Tomorrow,” emphasizes the importance of savings and financial planning among informal sector workers including market traders, farmers, and artisans. A key feature of this initiative is a time-limited incentive that allows for matching contributions up to N20,000 from March 9 to March 13, 2026, which encourages greater participation in the pension scheme. This financial incentive is intended to spur women to partake in the pension plan by making it more financially attractive and accessible.

Oloworaran acknowledged the rigorous daily routines of Nigerian women who often begin their workdays as early as 3 or 4 AM. By highlighting their contributions to the economy, she underscored the necessity for these women to have formal retirement benefits that provide security in old age. This campaign could play a pivotal role in transforming the financial landscape for women in Nigeria, particularly in the informal sector, enabling them to save for their futures and improve their overall economic status.