Aerial view image of Chinese Temple Peak Nam Toong Pagoda located in the city of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Retirees across Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno states have expressed frustration over the prolonged delays in receiving their National Housing Fund (NHF) refunds, citing financial hardship and lack of communication from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).
Alhaji Danladi Inuwa, a former Deputy Registrar at the Federal University, Gashua (FUGA), who retired in 2021, said his refund is still pending.
“I worked at the National Water Resources Institute (NWRI) before transferring to FUGA. The FMBN office in Damaturu confirmed my NWRI refund is ready but said the computation for FUGA is incomplete. They insist both must be paid together,” Inuwa explained.
Mohammed Shetima, who retired from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Damaturu in 2023, reported a similar experience.
“FMBN staff told me I haven’t been captured on their digital portal. Until that’s done, my refund cannot be processed,” he said.
However, some retirees in Adamawa shared positive updates. Mrs. Amina Bello, who retired from the Federal Ministry of Health, said she was surprised by the quick turnaround in her case.
“I completed my documentation on 19 April and received my refund by 16 May. I commend the Federal Government and urge them to sustain this pace,” Bello said.
Another retiree, Mr. Francis Emmanuel, also from the health ministry, said his refund came just in time.
“I used the money to renovate my house. I had lost hope and thought only my children would benefit someday,” he said.
Despite these few successes, many retirees remain in limbo, calling on FMBN to streamline the refund process and improve transparency to ensure all retirees receive their entitlements without further delay.
