The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for urgent reforms to Africa’s pension systems to ensure millions of workers, particularly those in the informal sector, retire with dignity and financial security.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Annual Conference of the Africa Pensions Supervisors Association in Accra, she urged African governments, regulators and financial institutions to embrace innovation and expand pension coverage across the continent.
Africa’s rapidly growing ageing population is placing renewed focus on the need for stronger and more inclusive pension systems.
Opening the Conference, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang welcomed delegates from across the continent and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening retirement security.
She said while Africa remains the world’s youngest continent, the number of people aged 60 and above is projected to reach 226 million by 2040, making pension reform an urgent priority.
The Vice President noted that less than one-fifth of Africa’s workforce is currently covered by pension schemes, leaving nearly 85 percent of workers, particularly those in the informal sector, without adequate retirement protection.
She stressed that traditional pension models no longer reflect the realities of Africa’s labour market, where many people work in informal employment, hold multiple jobs or earn irregular incomes.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang called for innovative solutions, including digital identification systems, mobile money platforms, financial technology and data-driven supervision, to expand pension access and improve efficiency.
She also underscored the importance of maintaining financially sustainable pension schemes that can meet future obligations while building public trust through transparency and accountability.
With increasing labour mobility under the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Vice President urged African countries to strengthen cooperation to ensure pension benefits remain portable across borders and retirement rights are protected wherever people choose to work.
She outlined four key priorities: accelerating pension inclusion, harnessing technology to improve service delivery, strengthening cross-border collaboration, and reinforcing good governance and resilient institutions.
The Vice President said Africa’s future will be judged by how well it supports citizens who have spent their lives contributing to national development, urging stakeholders to work together to ensure prosperity is shared across generations.
Story by : Akora Kofi Darko
