NEPC has unveiled a new initiative designed to transform retirement from a period of uncertainty into a launchpad for entrepreneurship, equipping public servants with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the country’s non-oil export sector.
The programme, dubbed Sustainable Opportunities for Active Retirement (SOAR), will train 100 public servants within three years of their retirement date, preparing them to build sustainable businesses and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
A Vision for Productive Retirement
Speaking at the launch event in Abuja, NEPC Executive Director Mrs. Nnoye Ayeni said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda by empowering workers to transition seamlessly from public service into productive ventures across the non-oil export value chain.
Mrs. Ayeni explained that SOAR was conceived to address the challenges many retirees face after leaving active service, often due to inadequate preparation for life after retirement.
The programme, she said, would expose participants to opportunities in agriculture, value addition, aggregation, logistics, and export marketing—enabling them to identify viable business areas where they can build successful enterprises.
“We are opening their minds to the enormous opportunities in non-oil exports. We will groom them from farm to market so they can find their place as farmers, service providers, aggregators, or exporters. Retirement is not the end of life,” she said.
Government Endorsement
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Mr. Kalba Usman, described the initiative as a strategic intervention that would reshape public perception of retirement from a period of hardship to one of opportunity and fulfilment.
With proper planning and programmes such as SOAR, he said, retiring public servants could enjoy a better quality of life after service through entrepreneurship and wealth creation.
Declaring the programme open, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Chris Isokpokwu, commended the NEPC for introducing what he described as a timely and forward-thinking initiative.
