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The short answer
Your RSA PIN is issued and held by your pension fund administrator (PFA), so the PFA is the place to retrieve it, after confirming your identity. If you are not sure which PFA you use, your employer's HR or payroll team will know, because it remits to the PFA each month; if you registered before 1 July 2019, PenCom also expects you to complete data recapture with your PFA.
Where your PIN already is
Before contacting anyone, check the places it is likely to be written down:
- The letter, SMS or email the PFA sent when your RSA was opened.
- Your RSA statement, printed or emailed.
- Your payslip; some employers print the PIN with the pension deduction.
- Your employer's HR or payroll records, which need the PIN to remit.
- Any PFA app or online portal you signed up for.
If you find a number labelled PIN or RSA PIN on a pension document, confirm it with the PFA before giving it to a new employer, because a wrong PIN sends contributions astray.
Retrieving it from your PFA
PenCom's 2023 FAQ says the PFA issues the PIN when you register. Each PFA runs its own customer service, so the exact route depends on yours. Typical options are its customer care line, email, branch, website or app.
- Contact the PFA through a channel listed on its official website, not a number from social media.
- Give your full name, date of birth, phone number and employer, and quote your NIN.
- Answer the PFA's identity questions. It may ask for a copy of your ID or for you to visit a branch.
- Ask the PFA to send the PIN to the phone number or email on your record, and update those details if they have changed.
- Note the date and any reference number.
What to say
"My name is [full name], date of birth [ ]. I work, or worked, at [employer] from [year]. I have forgotten my RSA PIN and would like it sent to the phone number or email on my record. My NIN is available to confirm my identity. Please also confirm whether my data recapture is complete and send me a current statement." Asking for the statement in the same call saves a second contact and shows you at once whether contributions have been arriving.
If you do not know your PFA
This is common for people who changed jobs or were enrolled years ago. Work through these in order:
- Ask your current or last employer's HR team which PFA they remit to for you.
- Look at old payslips and bank or tax documents for the PFA name.
- If you were never told, ask whether your employer opened a temporary (nominal) RSA for you; PenCom's FAQ says employers do this when a worker has not opened one six months after starting.
- If none of this works, contact PenCom for help locating your record; see how to contact and complain to PenCom.
If you suspect you have two RSAs, perhaps one you opened and one opened for you, tell the PFA. PenCom's FAQ lists unresolved multiple registrations as one of the problems data recapture is meant to fix.
Recapture: the step people miss
PenCom requires all RSA holders who registered before 1 July 2019 to complete data recapture with their PFA. Without it, the FAQ says, you may be unable to access retirement benefits, transfer your RSA or update your records. It is free, cannot be done by proxy and needs your NIN. If you are calling about a forgotten PIN and you registered before that date, ask the PFA whether your recapture is complete. Full details are in PenCom data recapture.
Why it is worth the effort
A forgotten PIN often means a pension nobody is watching. Contributions may have stopped, an employer may have remitted late, or a second account may exist. These all cost you money over time. The RSA balance can also be put to work before retirement: PenCom guidelines, as FCMB Pensions describes them, let a holder with at least 60 months of mandatory contributions and more than three years to retirement apply up to 25% of the balance as equity for a residential mortgage. You cannot use that option, or check that you qualify, without knowing your PIN and PFA.
After you have the PIN
- Write it down
- Store it with your NIN and BVN in a secure place, not in a photo on a shared phone.
- Check the balance
- Ask the PFA for a current statement and compare it with your payslip deductions.
- Fix gaps
- If months are missing, raise them with your employer first; PenCom's FAQ says late remittance attracts a penalty of at least 2% paid into your RSA.
- Update contacts
- Make sure the PFA has your current phone number and email so you receive statements.
Where Pryme fits
Your Personal Assistant can keep a reminder to check your pension statement each quarter and prepare the steps; nothing is sent without your approval. See Personal Assistant, and keep your account secure with an authenticator app and transaction PIN (security).
Questions people ask
How can I retrieve my RSA PIN?
Contact your PFA through its official channels, confirm your identity with your NIN and other details, and ask it to send the PIN to the contact details on your record.
How do I know my PFA?
Ask your employer's HR or payroll team, which remits to it each month, or check old payslips and pension letters.
Can I check my RSA PIN with my NIN?
Your PFA can use your NIN to identify you, but the route depends on the PFA. Ask it directly.
Do I need data recapture to get my PIN?
Not to be told your PIN, but PenCom requires recapture for anyone registered before 1 July 2019, and without it you may not be able to access benefits or transfer your RSA.
Sources
- PenCom: Frequently asked questions on the Contributory Pension Scheme (2023 edition) · accessed Oct 2026
- FCMB Pensions: Equity contribution for residential mortgage · 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.