Two names, one certificate. You may have seen both "pension clearance certificate" and "pension compliance certificate" used for what looks like the same thing. You are not missing a step. They are the same document.
One certificate, two names in circulation
PenCom's own current paperwork calls it the Pension Clearance Certificate. So do its requirement sheet, its 2026 step-by-step application guide and its recent lists of certificates issued.
Older employer lists still say "compliance certificate". So do some tender documents.
Both names point to the same certificate, and PenCom issues it under either name.
What PenCom looks at
The application shows what PenCom looks at. It asks for evidence of remittances for all employees for the last 3 financial years, plus evidence that all outstanding contributions and penalties have been paid. It also asks for a certified staff list as at the end of the last financial year, and the certified contribution rates.
PenCom also requires a current group life policy showing the staff covered and the sum assured. The NSITF and ITF certificates in a tender pack are separate documents.
Who issues it
The National Pension Commission issues the certificate. Its requirements page sets out what an application needs. You apply for the certificate, and print it, through pcc.pencom.gov.ng.
That portal opened to all employers on 31 October 2024. PenCom set March 2025 as the deadline for moving from paper applications to the portal.
If you are unsure about a certificate you hold, check it with PenCom.
Where the older name still turns up
PenCom's newer materials say "clearance". You will still meet "compliance certificate" in places such as:
- Older lists that PenCom published.
- Tender documents.
Whichever name appears, it is the same document, not two different requirements to meet.
Making sure you have the right one
Do not judge a certificate by the title at the top. Check three things instead: the issuing body, the employer's own name, and the expiry date.
That expiry date follows 31 December of the year it is issued, whichever name sits on the page. Invitations to tender list the certificate as valid until 31 December of the bidding year, so compare your expiry date with the tender's own wording before you bid.
If you are applying for the first time, how to apply for a PenCom clearance certificate online walks through the actual steps.
Common mistakes
- Assuming "compliance certificate" and "clearance certificate" are two separate documents to obtain.
- Rejecting an older certificate purely because of its label, rather than checking its issue date and expiry.
- Searching under only one of the two names, when older lists and tender documents use the other.
See how TCC, CAC, ITF, NSITF and PenCom fit together for where this certificate sits among the rest of a tender pack, and the tender compliance hub for the full series.