Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs has urged market women and other small-scale business operators in the informal sector to enrol in the Personal Pension Plan (PPP) to secure their future and improve the financial wellbeing of their families.
The call was made during an awareness programme organised by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) in collaboration with the ministry as part of activities marking the International Women’s Day celebration in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the event held on March 11, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Ihuoma Boms, said the initiative was designed to encourage women in the informal sector to adopt structured savings plans for retirement and strengthen their long-term financial security.
According to her, the pension plan introduced by the Federal Government through PENCOM specifically targets workers who are not covered under the conventional contributory pension scheme.
Boms noted that the programme aligns with the theme of the 2026 International Women’s Day and is aimed at supporting women from different walks of life, including traders, market women, self-employed individuals and members of women’s associations.
She added that officials of PENCOM were present to guide participants on the registration process and educate them on the benefits of retirement savings.
“This programme is designed to raise awareness and provide women in the informal sector with an opportunity to plan ahead and build financial stability for the future,” she said.
Also speaking, the Acting Director of the State Operations Department of PENCOM, Akinsola Adeseun, described the Personal Pension Plan as a Federal Government initiative designed for self-employed individuals such as traders, artisans, farmers, hairdressers and others operating outside formal employment structures.
Adeseun said the initiative aims to integrate workers in the informal sector into the national pension system, noting that available data shows that nearly 90 million Nigerians work in the sector without access to organised retirement savings.
He explained that the commission leveraged the International Women’s Day celebration to encourage wider participation among women, who constitute a significant portion of the informal workforce.
Adeseun further disclosed that PENCOM introduced a special incentive to boost enrolment during the campaign week running from March 9 to March 13, 2026.
Under the arrangement, the commission will match participants’ contributions ranging from ₦1,000 to ₦20,000, effectively doubling the amount saved during the period.
“For instance, if a participant contributes ₦1,000, the commission will add another ₦1,000, while a ₦20,000 contribution will attract an additional ₦20,000, bringing the total savings to ₦40,000,” he explained.
He added that funds saved under the scheme are divided into two portions, with one part serving as a contingency fund that contributors can access in emergencies, while the remaining portion is preserved for retirement.
Some participants who spoke with journalists commended the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs for facilitating the programme, describing it as a major step toward financial empowerment for women in the informal sector.
They, however, urged the Federal Government to ensure the sustainability of the initiative, noting that similar programmes in the past had been discontinued following changes in administration.
