PENSION REFORM -- RIDDLED WITH POLITICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LAGOS 001308 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT PASS TO EX-IM KVRANICH AND BUBAMADU TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER USDOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART PASS TDA FOR NCABOT PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR SLISER E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2015 TAGS: ECON EINV EFIN PGOV NI SUBJECT: PENSION REFORM -- RIDDLED WITH POLITICAL MACHINATIONS REF: A)LAGOS 35 B)LAGOS 1033 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Nigeria's pension reforms continue to face numerous legal and infrastructural challenges that hinder it from realizing its stated objectives of creating long-term investment and improving the living standards of average Nigerian pensioners. Nigeria's National Pension Commission (PenCom) has granted licenses to 18 Pension Fund Operators (PFOs). However, since the GON announced pension reform in June 2004, several experts believe PenCom's selection of companies slants in favor of those politically connected to the Obasanjo administration. As a result, too much pension money is circulating among the country's political and economic elites as opposed to flowing into the hands of small and medium sized enterprises and investors. End summary. -------------- Background -------------- ¶2. (U) President Obasanjo signed the Pension Reform Bill into law in June, 2004, repealing the Pension Act of 1990. The new pension regime is a mandatory one, under which every month, employees would deposit 7.5 percent of their total compensation into a Retirement Savings Account (RSA),and employees would contribute a minimum of 7.5 percent. Military personnel would contribute 2.5 percent of their total compensation into a RSA while their employer would contribute 12.5 percent. The 2004 Act also established the National Pension Commission (PenCom),to supervise and administer the new pension plan. Nigeria has a pension system that creates a division of labor that should minimize abuse of the fund. For the first time, management of pension funds, to be performed by PFAs, will not have custody of the funds. PFCs will have the custodial function. Under the current Act, companies that have a minimum of naira 500 million pension funds under management, a minimum capital base of naira 150 million, and a five year track record of managing funds are allowed to retain their previous pension schemes and become Closed Pension Fund Administrators (CPFAs). A CPFA is prohibited from managing pension funds for employees outside their company. ¶3. (SBU) Industry experts speculate PenCom has roughly naira 60 billion (USD 462 million) in a Central Bank of Nigeria account to distribute to the PFCs. Problems are likely in the disbursement process. Currently, the CBN automatically withdraws 10% of the total wage bill from parastatals rather than collecting contributions on an individual basis. Government matching contributions do not vary with salary. Moreover, the federal government does not know the exact number of employees it has, and instead has resorted to withdrawing lump sums from various ministries. Most civil servants do not trust the system and the average Nigerian pensioner has not reaped benefits from the new pension scheme. -------------- PenCom Grants Licenses -------------- ¶4. (SBU) PenCom has granted licenses to thirteen Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) (IBTC Pension Managers, Premium Pension, Pensure PFA, Sigma Vaughn Sterling Pensions, Pensions Alliance, First Alliance Pension and Benefits, ARM Pension Managers, Trustfund Pensions, First Guarantee Pension, Crusader Pensions, NLPC Pension Fund Administrators, Legacy Pension Managers, and AIICO Pension Managers),one CPFA (Shell Nigeria),and four Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) (UBA Pensions Custodian, Zenith Pensions custodian, First Pension Custodians Nigeria, Diamond Pensions Fund Custodian). In addition, approval-in-principals (AIP) were granted to three CPFAs (Progress Trust, Nestle Pension Fund, and Unico Pension). Obasanjo ally and pro-third term supporter, Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu,s High Yield Pensions has received an AIP to become a licensed PFA, and industry LAGOS 00001308 002.2 OF 003 experts expect the company to receive final approval soon. AIPs were also granted to Oak Pensions and Pennam. -------------- -------------- Challenges: Poor Infrastructure, Lack of Enforcement, Distrust in the System -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) PenCom does not have sufficient oversight capacity to enforce mandatory payments by employers and employees, according to Director General Nigerian Insurers Association Ezekiel Chiejina. Besides enforcement problems, he cited serious defects in the pension reform process including inability to identify pensioners, preferential treatment towards some PFAs, an insufficient IT infrastructure, and no database established for biometrics collection and verification of pensioners. Identity theft problems and a black market engaged in stealing identities will likely emerge if PenCom does not address its IT vulnerabilities effectively, according to CEO IBTC Pension Managers Limited Yinka Sanni. ¶6. (C) Life insurance companies have no role in the pension reform process, Chiejina explained. PenCom has a hidden agenda, and wants to exclude life insurance companies, he stressed. Part VIII Section 50(4) of the Act provides for issuing PFA licenses to life insurance companies, but to date, not a single PFA license has been granted to a life insurance company. Moreover, Part I Section 4(b) states an individual at retirement can choose to purchase annuities for life from a life insurance company, but critics argue that because it is not mandatory, most people will choose not to invest in annuities, foreclosing another avenue to build long-term capital, and effectively shutting out life insurance companies form participating. ¶7. (C) PenCom has registered less than one million people in the public/private sector, according to PenCom Director General Muhammad Ahmad. He cited compliance as a major issue, and advocated increased private sector involvement. State government employees are not covered under the Pension Reform Act, and states are engaged in establishing their own laws and pension plans, contradicting PenCom,s stated objective of creating a national pension scheme. Moreover, the pension market remains small, public education campaigns are insufficient, civil servants remain distrustful of the pension scheme, and the average Nigerian in the informal sector believes the pension scheme is a hidden &tax8 on their income. -------------- -------------- Real Beneficiaries: Political and Business Elites -------------- -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The new pension plan benefits elites, according to critics. For instance, the current plan does not allow PFAs to invest overseas, which would significantly enhance the ability of PFAs to maximize their returns on investment. Part IX Section 74(2) of the Act states only the President can approve plans to invest pension fund assets abroad, which he has not done to date. Moreover, PFAs can only invest in common shares of companies that have proven dividend returns for the last three years, effectively eliminating over 200 companies publicly traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). In effect, the publicly traded SMEs that would most benefit from greater investment are shut out, while established companies will have near monopoly access to pension funds, long-term capital. ¶9. (C) Critics of pension reform argue PenCom is biased towards certain PFCs and PFAs connected to the Obasanjo Administration. Of four existing PFCs, First Bank PFC holds eight of the thirteen PFA accounts, and CPFAs awaiting final approval are already signing deals to partner with First Bank. First Bank CEO Jacobs Ajekigbe is an Obasanjo ally, a fact not missed on PFAs eager to benefit from its strong relationships with the current administration. The chairman of First Bank Custodian is former Central Bank of Nigeria LAGOS 00001308 003 OF 003 (CBN) Governor Sanusi, and the new PenCom Chairman awaiting Senate confirmation is former First Bank Managing Director Wole Adeosun. PenCom Chairman and Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Managing Director Fola Adeola was removed from both offices due to his opposition to President Obasanjo,s third term plan and his temerity in seeking to contest for office in Osun State against the President,s daughter. Director of Lagos Business School Pat Utomi said he expects Transcorp to receive waivers from PenCom to allow PFAs to invest pension fund money into Transcorp and other corporations aligned with President Obasanjo (reftel B). -------------- Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) PenCom has done little to gain the trust of the average Nigerian pensioner. As currently constructed, PenCom is unlikely to meet its stated objectives of creating funds for long-term investment, spurring the growth of the SME sector, and improving the living standards of the average Nigerian. Investment is not significantly flowing into the SME sector, banks are not changing their lending behavior, and pension money is not reaching companies for long-term investment. With the majority of Nigerians choosing not to participate in the national scheme, and states opting for various pension schemes, it appears this reform process, like those in the past, will, at most, be a qualified success. The big winners might be the small roster of already successful Nigerian companies. End comment. BROWNE