Access Pensions, others top investment rankings for PFAs in 2022

Access Pensions and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) Pensions closed 2022 as the top PFAs by investment returns across the four main retirement savings accounts funds.

This is according to recent data released by industry analysts on Pensions in Nigeria.

Globally, 2022 was a difficult year for financial markets as rate hikes by global central banks drove bearish sentiments across most asset classes.

In Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) responded to rising inflation with an increase in the key monetary policy rate from 11.5 per cent to 17.5% by the end of the year. Over the years, average pension fund returns across the four funds were 8.97%, 9.55%, 9.86%, and 10.22% for funds I, II, III, and IV respectively.

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NPF Pensions is a special interest pension fund administrator dedicated to managing pensions for members of the Nigerian Police Force while Access Pensions was formed from the merger of the erstwhile Sigma Pensions Limited and First Guarantee Pensions Limited.

Among the open PFAs not dedicated to a special interest group, Access Pensions topped the pack with Leadway in second place and Crusader Sterling in third place.

In terms of returns, these three PFAs delivered returns above the peer average across their four main funds. 2022’s top performance is a significant milestone for Access Pensions following the entry of Access Corporation into the pension space and these strong investment returns make it an attractive choice for those looking to invest in a well-managed pension fund.

In 2022, despite the difficult macroeconomic environment, aggregate pension assets under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) hit N15 trillion according to data from the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

The Nigerian pension industry has entered a period of heightened competition following the opening of the transfer window in 2020 and the development alongside the NGN5 billion recapitalisation exercise, resulting in a greater level of rivalry among players in the space with a focus on investment performance, service levels and brand visibility.