As at the end of March, 2021, the assets had stood at
N12.34trillion, hence, increasing by N320 billion between April and June, 2021.
Speaking at the ongoing 2021 Journalists Workshop programme,
organised by the National Pension Commission(PenCom) in Lagos today, the
director general, PenCom, Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar, said, the growth in the
pension fund assets under the new pension scheme, is an indication of prudent
and sincere management of the pension fund by the pension operators and the
regulator.
According to her, “the number of registered contributors
under the CPS has grown to 9.38 million while pension fund assets have
accumulated to N12.66 trillion as at 30 June 2021. The maintenance of a
consistent growth trajectory continues to justify the Commission’s overriding
investment philosophyof ensuring the safety of pension fund assets.”
Dahir-Umar, who was represented by the head, corporate
communications, PenCom, Mr. Peter Aghahowa, added that, the regulator will
continue to dish out policies that will enhance the growth of the pension
assets as well as investment options that will ensure that the assets are not
depleted.
Earlier, the nation’s pension fund assets rose by N100
billion to N12.34 trillion in March, 2021 from N12.24 trillion it was at the end
of February, LEADERSHIP can now reveal.
In an unaudited report for the month of March 2021, released
by the National Pension Commission (PenCom), the total number of pension
contributors also rose from 9.27 million to 9.30 million Retirement Saving Account
(RSA) holders as at March, 2021
The assets stood at N12.29 trillion in January, but dropped
to N12.24 trillion in February, owing to investment loss, before it picked up
in March, 2021 to the aforementioned amount.
Similarly, N8.51 trillion was invested in federal
government’s securities, as bonds gulped N7.67 trillion investment; treasury
bills, N721.74 billion; agency bond, N12.91 billion; Sukuk bonds, N85.09
billion and green bonds N12.88 billion.
Investment income was an instrumental to the continuous
growth in pension fund, despite the fact that governments at majorly, State
level are not paying the monthly pension contributions of their workers as and
when due.
Similarly, the huge increase, according to findings, was
attributed to new pension contributions received, interest from fixed income
securities and net realised on equities and mutual fund investments.