The Managing Director/Chief Executive, Sigma Pensions Limited, Mr. Dave Uduanu, has called for increased awareness on the benefits of having a retirement savings account (RSA), stressing that “it does not make financial sense for anybody” not to have one.
He also encouraged his customers to lead a healthy lifestyle by keeping fit enough to enjoy their retirement. “It is only a healthy person that can enjoy life after retirement.”
Speaking in Abuja at the company’s maiden edition of ‘Walk to Live’ meant to prepare customers for a healthy retirement; he said Sigma Pensions was also focused on wooing customers from the informal sector of the economy.
Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the event, he said one of the biggest challenges in the pension industry had been the drop in enrolment in RSA. According to him, “The pension industry has done well. It’s now N8.4 trillion, but I think the key challenge is that the enrolment level has dropped.
“So, we need to encourage more Nigerians to get retirement savings accounts because it does not make sense for anybody not to have a retirement savings account. People should remember that one day they will retire. So, now we are going into the informal sector to bring people into the formal sector and that should lead to a quantum leap in the number of retirement savings account.”
Nevertheless, he said the six kilometres walk, which would be increased to 10 kilometres at the next edition would give the company opportunity to connect with its customers and solve whatever problems they may be having concerning their accounts.
Specifically, the MD said the program would offer an “opportunity for Sigma to connect with its customers in Abuja in an informal setting. While we want to listen to some of the issues, it’s really not about the business today. We want to connect with you, meet you, and know you so that when we see on the road, we can greet you.
“So, the whole idea is to keep people fit enough; healthy enough to enjoy their retirement because it’s only a healthy person that can enjoy life after retirement.
“It’s just a way of giving back to our customers; it’s one of our corporate social responsibility, but I think the benefit is that it helps us bond with our customers; we are able to mingle with them at an informal environment and hopefully, we will create a better bond and a stronger brand for the company.”