When Hamza Sule (WuroBokki) during a BusinessDay interview, recalled the story of how the NPF Pensions Ltd started from very humble beginnings to its current heights in the PFA industry, he was generous with insights to the challenges he had to surmount to take the job. There was the skepticism of friends who felt that the command structure of the police would frustrate his efforts. This was based on the perception of an organization that, in his words, “was widely misunderstood or misrepresented.”
Even the police authorities appreciated the enormity of the challenge of repositioning NPF Pensions Ltd when they appointed PwC Nigeria to do a feasibility study for them in order to advise whether it was feasible to comply with the federal government directive to remain under the contributory pension Scheme.
Yes, Hamza had his vision, and “came here with a purpose”, but driving this vision and purpose were years of experience in the pension administration sector and, perhaps most crucial to his career growth, sound education from some of the best institutions around the globe.
With a first class B.Sc. in Public Administration, the first to be awarded by the University of Maiduguri, where he was the best graduating student in both class and department, he went on to obtain a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA).
Hamza Sule holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy Analysis. He has also attended Harvard Business School, Boston, MA, USA, where he underwent the Advanced Management Program.
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An experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated capacity and history of working in the Nigerian financial services industry, he is a strong business development professional with skills in negotiation, business start-ups, planning, analysis, capital markets, board administration, and business transformation.
Hamza is one of the most experienced pension funds administrators in Nigeria and the only one that started and nurtured two PFAs successfully.
Hamza is recipient of a Presidential Commendation for building the Head office of NPF Pensions Limited by “utilizing only internally generated revenue, thus driving fiscal discipline”.
The man tells his story in his own words: “My history with the industry is that of a pioneer in the industry. I was fortunate to be there when it started. I started another pension funds administrator (PFA) APT Pensions Ltd. So, having that experience, I came with a clear vision”. He recalls many of his colleagues scoffing at the idea of coming to a police organization. As an organization, it is widely misunderstood or misrepresented. When he joined, his colleagues were trying to joke about what rank he was given – insinuating that he was coming into an organization where he would take command.
“But I came here with a purpose, very much aware that the police are the least educated organization when it comes to pension, because they are so very, very busy with their daily routines that they hardly have time to consider pension,” he said.
How did he respond to the challenge of breathing life to NPF Pensions Ltd ? “We set out to make it right for the police, to improve their welfare through this pension scheme and, truly, they had these genuine problems.” Given that police personnel are scattered in every nook and cranny of this country, with accounts with 20 PFAs that were not readily accessible to them from many of the locations, he opened officesin over 60 locations — in all police formations and commands — and deployed staff extensively. These 60 offices are overseen by six regional offices located in each of the geopolitical zones in the country with very senior officers with official cars and everything needed to effectively mobilize and move out to meet our clients. This arrangement brought immediate relief. But beyond that, he went out on sensitization drives to the formations and commands.
Perhaps one of the most important steps he took was to get the board of the organization to make a recommendation for a Retiree Settlement Support Scheme (RSSS), under which it pays about 20 percent of our gross income as corporate social responsibility and pay N500 million to retirees every year. “It has not solved all their problems, but it has given them some immediate relief,” he reflects.
He has also been driving the process of securing a better future for police personnel on retirement. “You will see a senior officer retiring with no savings,” he notes, continuing, “I am not derogating anyone.”
The proposal that the board of NPF Pensions Ltd has made to the federal government is to treatanyone above CP, from AIG, to DIG to IG as political appointees. “I’m happy to inform you that the federal government has received the request from the Board.” He is happy that police authorities are all united on this, saying, “I’m following it up and I believe the office of the SGF is currently looking at the issue of 300 percent gratuity as additional benefit to all police personnel.”
Under his watch, at least 270,000 police personnel were enrolled with NPF Pensions Ltd. From zero assets when it was licensed on the 20th of August 2014, it now has about N640 billion, prompting him to say “I’m also happy to report that N267 billion represents the investment income that we have made as profit for them”.
He tells the story. “When we conceived the idea in 2015, many people said we were joking, wondering where we were going to get money to build an office when no PFA had contemplated an office.We set out an amount for every month and we religiously followed it even if it meant not paying some of our allowances. So we thank God we have the first custom built head office.”
When he tells the story of how the NPF Pensions Ltd headquarters edifice was conceptualized and completed, you can feel the glint on his face.
But he’s quick to remind you: “Honestly, I don’t take this building as much because it is done. History will look at it. If you ask me to mention our achievements, I won’t mention this building. What I want to bequeath when I leave is that I want to build confidence in the person of the policeman out there on the street, by trying to make his life worthwhile so that when he retires, when he is tired that is when he needs his country and the country will appreciate and reward him appropriately.
Despite the achievements he has recorded with NPF Pensions Ltd, he knows there is still a lot more to do. “You can read from my discussion that we are still not satisfied with the take home pay of police officers. They have served this country diligently. They face a high level of risks. Many of them retire with injuries” he said. Yet, he laments they are still not adequately compensated when it comes to pension. Some of them retire without even houses. For as long as these two things are not done, the pensions will remain in a critical state and they will remain in almost as beggars in a country that they put their lives on the line to protect and make safer.
Going forward, Hamza hopes that “every policeman that served Nigeria should get a commensurate pension that is not less than applies to any of their colleagues or peers in other public services.
