This study examines effect of contributory pension scheme on pension payment to retirees of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. The research specifically evaluated the Act’s impact on payment timeliness and identified administrative challenges contributing to disbursement delays. The study employed a descriptive survey design, utilizing a census sampling technique to gather data from ninety-seven retirees and six pension staff through structured questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that while retirees’ perceived improvements in payment timeliness since the Act’s implementation, significant dissatisfaction remained regarding the overall payment experience. The study also found that inadequate communication from pension administrators emerged as a major contributor to delays, along with the complexity of the pension claim process. While insufficient staffing and resources were acknowledged as challenges, opinions on their impact were more divided, and bureaucratic inefficiencies were not perceived as the most significant factor affecting payment delays. The study concluded that despite some positive changes introduced by the Pension Reform Act (2014), substantial challenges persist in ensuring timely pension payments. Based on these findings, the study recommended enhancing communication strategies within pension administration and streamlining the claims process to improve efficiency in pension disbursements to retirees in the institution.