Retirement Benefits: PenCom moves to diversify investments in pension fund assets

*Aisha Dahir-Umar, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Pension Commission, assures the right people, strategy, culture and corporate governance structure will continue to support delivering consistent and sustainable value to all stakeholders

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has assured pensioners that the Commission would intensify efforts at further diversification of investments in their pension fund portfolio assets.

Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar, Director-General, PenCom,  stated this in the Commission’s 2022 fourth quarter report released Thursday, April 20 2023, in Lagos.

Dahiru-Umar affirmed that the Commission had increased efforts at ensuring sustainable investments by pension funds in alternative asset classes, during the quarter under review.

PenCom, the Director-General stated, also structured infrastructure projects that met the strict requirements of the Pension Fund Investments Regulation.

She also explained the Commission is making efforts at ensuring the average annual pension fund returns for Retirement Savings Account (RSA) and legacy funds exceed headline inflation.

Dahir-Umar further said: “We continued our efforts to ensure further diversification of investments in pension fund portfolio assets.

“While rising inflation continues to challenge the Nigerian economy, it should be noted that efforts are being made to ensure average annual pension fund returns for RSA and legacy funds exceed headline inflation.”

According to her, the significant achievement in the Nigerian pension industry would not have been possible without the right people, strategy, culture and governance structure to support delivering consistent and sustainable value to all stakeholders.

The Commission is committed to meeting the needs of its stakeholders, provide best practice in pension regulation and supervision in Nigeria, Mrs. Dahir-Umar added.