Compliance (PENCOM, NSITF, ITF)
The PenCom compliance certificate for tenders.
PenCom compliance certificate for tenders: what it proves, why bids ask for it, the evidence PenCom wants and how to get it in time for a 2026 tender.
If you have ever read a Nigerian public-sector tender document, you have probably seen the line: a valid PenCom Compliance Certificate is a required part of the bid. The National Pension Commission (PenCom) issues it to certify that an employer has remitted the pension contributions of its staff under the Pension Reform Act. Without it, a bid is usually disqualified.
This guide explains what the certificate proves, the evidence PenCom wants, and how to get it without your bid being disqualified on a technicality.
What the certificate actually certifies
The PenCom Compliance Certificate confirms that an employer has been deducting and remitting employee pension contributions to the registered Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and that the remittances are current. PenCom now calls it the Pension Clearance Certificate, though tender documents often still say compliance certificate. Each one expires on 31 December of the year it is issued.
The Pension Reform Act covers employers with 15 or more employees, and BPP's guide says the certificate is required for bidders with 15 or more staff. PenCom itself certifies firms with 3 or more staff, and some tender documents ask smaller firms for it too, so check your tender's wording.
For procurement, it sits alongside the tax clearance certificate from the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly FIRS, and the NSITF and ITF certificates as the standard "compliance pack" that proves your company is a real, properly-administered employer.
The evidence PenCom wants
The certificate is only issued when the remittance trail is clean. PenCom lists its requirements on the PenCom requirements for compliance certificate page. Typically PenCom expects:
- Evidence of remittances for all employees for the last 3 financial years, with PFA schedules.
- A list of staff with their Retirement Savings Account (RSA) PINs.
- Proof of a group life insurance policy covering three times each employee's annual total emolument, which the Pension Reform Act also requires.
- Your company details — RC number, and consistency with your CAC record.
- Remittance receipts covering the relevant period.
The group life policy catches people out
The Pension Reform Act requires employers to maintain a group life insurance policy for staff, separate from pension contributions, with cover of at least three times each employee's annual total emolument. PenCom checks for it as part of the compliance review. A company with perfect pension remittances but no group life policy can still have its certificate held up. Sort the group life policy before applying, not during.
How to obtain it
Employers apply on PenCom's portal (pcc.pencom.gov.ng), uploading the remittance evidence and group life policy for review. See the price and target time on the PenCom compliance certificate page, and the PenCom hub.
On Docufy you upload your remittance schedule, employee schedule and group life insurance certificate from your phone, and pay once. A vetted partner firm files the application, and the certificate lands in your vault as a PDF with a verify link. You see the full price before you pay, and there is no markup on government fees.
Timeline — and why you should not leave it to the last minute
PenCom sets the pace of review and issue, and it moves fastest once the evidence is complete and remittances are current. On Docufy, the filing page shows the target time in business days before you start. The risk is not the issue time — it is discovering, days before a bid deadline, that a quarter of remittances is missing or the group life policy lapsed. Treat the compliance pack as a standing renewal, not a per-tender scramble.
The compliance deadline calendar marks the day tender certificates lapse each year, and our tender compliance guides cover the rest of the pack.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Why do tenders require a PenCom compliance certificate?
Public procurement rules require bidders to prove they are compliant employers. The PenCom certificate certifies that you remit staff pensions and maintain the legally-required group life policy. A bid without a current one is typically disqualified.
What is the group life insurance requirement?
The Pension Reform Act requires employers to maintain a group life insurance policy for staff, separate from pension contributions. PenCom checks for it during the compliance review, so a missing or lapsed policy can hold up your certificate.
How long does a PenCom certificate take?
PenCom sets the pace, and a complete, current file moves fastest. The usual delay is incomplete remittances discovered during the review, not the issue itself. On Docufy, the filing page shows the target time in business days before you start.
How long is the certificate valid?
It expires on 31 December of the year it is issued, and tenders usually ask for one valid until 31 December of the bidding year. Most employers renew it each year as part of their standing compliance pack.
Do I need PenCom, NSITF and ITF certificates together?
For most public tenders, yes — PenCom, NSITF, ITF and a tax clearance certificate from the NRS (formerly FIRS) are the standard compliance pack. See the tender compliance certificates checklist for the full list.
Sources
- Pension Reform Act 2014 (copy hosted by the National Pension Commission)
- Online PenCom Certification Registration Guide (Step-by-Step Guide on Pension Clearance E-Certificate), National Pension Commission
- Schedule of Employers Issued with Certificate of Compliance with Provisions of the PRA 2014 as at 15 May 2025 (PenCom)
- PenCom: Notice to All Employers: Introduction of the E-Pension Clearance Certificate Application (Nov 2024)
- Requirements for Issuance of Pension Clearance Certificate (National Pension Commission)
- Requirements for compliance certificate — National Pension Commission
- Bureau of Public Procurement: Guide (National Database of Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers: registration requirements)
- FCTA invitation to tender (Sept 2026) — Naija Business
Fees and rules last checked 27 Sep 2026. The agency that issues the document has the final word. See our editorial policy.
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