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The short answer
Your RSA PIN is issued by your Pension Fund Administrator and stays with you for life, so the PFA can retrieve it once you prove your identity. If you do not know which PFA holds your account, ask your former Nigerian employer or contact PenCom, then request the PIN from that PFA by email or phone with your full name, date of birth and ID.
The RSA PIN is the number that identifies your pension account in Nigeria. People who left Nigerian employment years ago often have no payslip, no statement and no idea which PFA the employer chose. The good news is that the PIN does not expire and the account does not disappear because you moved abroad.
What the PIN is and who holds it
PenCom's 2023 FAQ explains that you open an RSA with the PFA of your choice and the PFA issues the PIN. If an employee does not choose within six months, the employer opens one for them. The PIN is portable and for life: it stays the same if you transfer to another PFA, and you have only one RSA in your lifetime. That means the number exists somewhere even if your paperwork does not.
Step one: work out which PFA has your account
- Old documents. Payslips usually show the pension deduction and sometimes the PFA name. Old emails may include annual statements.
- Your former employer. Employers remit contributions to each employee's PFA, so the HR or payroll team will have the PFA and possibly the PIN on file.
- Messages from PFAs. Search your old phone number's SMS or your email for a PFA name.
- PenCom. If none of these work, write to PenCom at info@pencom.gov.ng with your full name, date of birth, former employers and dates. PenCom's site lists licensed PFAs and its complaints channel.
Step two: ask the PFA for the PIN
Once you know the PFA, contact its customer service from the UK. Expect to be asked to prove your identity before it shares the PIN. Have these ready:
- full name exactly as on the account, and any former name;
- date of birth;
- phone number and email on record, if you remember them;
- NIN and BVN;
- a copy of your Nigerian passport data page;
- name of the employer that last remitted.
If the phone number on record is an old Nigerian line you no longer have, ask the PFA how to update contact details from abroad. That update may require data recapture if your RSA was opened before July 2019; see RSA data recapture from the UK.
If you have two RSAs by mistake
Some people discover that a later employer opened a second account. PenCom's rule is one RSA per lifetime, so tell both PFAs and ask how the accounts will be merged. Keep copies of every letter.
Things to avoid
- Do not pay anyone who offers to "find" your PIN for a fee. PenCom has said publicly that its staff never ask for money to facilitate payments.
- Do not send your PIN, BVN and passport to a personal email or WhatsApp number. Use the PFA's official contact details from its own site or PenCom's list.
- Do not give your PIN to anyone offering to release your pension early for a fee. Access rules are set by law, not by agents.
If contributions seem to be missing
When you finally see a statement, compare it with the years you worked. Under the Pension Reform Act 2014 as summarised in PenCom's FAQ, the minimum contribution is 18% of monthly emoluments, 10% from the employer and 8% from the employee, and employers must remit within seven working days of paying salaries. Gaps usually mean one of three things:
- the employer deducted pension from your pay but never remitted it;
- the money went to a second RSA opened under a slightly different name;
- the employer was small and did not run the scheme at all.
For the first case, write to the PFA first, then to PenCom. Our Nigeria library explains how to complain about a PFA or employer to PenCom. Keep payslips that show deductions, since they are your best evidence.
A worked example of what a gap costs
Example only. Suppose your monthly emoluments were ₦400,000 for two years and nothing was remitted. At the 18% minimum, that is ₦72,000 a month, or ₦1,728,000 over 24 months, before any investment return. That is the amount to raise with the PFA and PenCom.
What to do once you have it
- Ask for a current statement so you can see your balance.
- Update your UK address, email and next of kin.
- Check whether data recapture is outstanding.
- Decide whether to keep contributing; see voluntary RSA contributions from the UK.
- Store the PIN somewhere safe that your family can find.
Where Pryme fits
Your Personal Assistant can keep the PFA's contact details and remind you to chase replies or check your statement once a year; it prepares, and nothing moves without your approval. Pryme keeps your account secure with an authenticator app and transaction PIN rather than SMS codes (how security works). For how the pension system works overall, read how Nigeria's RSA pension system works.
Questions people ask
How can I get my RSA PIN if I forgot it?
Contact the PFA that holds your account, prove your identity, and ask it to confirm the PIN. If you do not know the PFA, ask your former employer or PenCom.
Does my RSA PIN change if I move abroad?
No. The PIN is for life and stays the same even if you transfer PFA.
How do I know which PFA my pension is with?
Check old payslips and statements, ask your former employer's HR team, or write to PenCom with your details.
Can someone in Nigeria collect my PIN for me?
PFAs generally deal with the account holder. Ask the PFA whether it accepts a written authority, and never hand your details to a paid agent.
Sources
- PenCom: Frequently Asked Questions (2023 edition) · accessed Oct 2026
- National Pension Commission (PenCom) home page and operator lists · accessed Oct 2026
- PenCom: Micro Pension Plan frequently asked questions · accessed Oct 2026
- Blueprint: Our staff don't collect money to facilitate retirees' payment, says PenCom (28 May 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.