Major General Julius Ehioze Osifo Takes Over Military Pensions Board

Major General Julius Ehioze Osifo assumed office as the 26th Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB) on October 21, 2026, during a handing-over ceremony in Abuja. Appointed by Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu, Osifo succeeded Air Vice Marshal Mikhail Abdulraheem.

Osifo pledged to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and accelerate the payment of pensions, gratuities, arrears, and death benefits to retired military personnel and the families of deceased service members. He emphasized that payment delays for the next-of-kin of soldiers killed in action dishonor military sacrifices and undermine the morale of active troops. To resolve these inefficiencies, he plans to deploy modern technology, improve beneficiary identification, and strengthen coordination with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Finance, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Osifo, formerly the Director-General of the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation, also announced plans to enhance the capacity of board personnel through results-oriented training. Outgoing chairman Mikhail Abdulraheem urged staff to maintain teamwork and discipline to support the board's mandate of veteran welfare.