The National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) is reporting steady institutional progress as it intensifies efforts to strengthen pension administration and expand social protection coverage across Sierra Leone.Created under the National Social Security and Insurance Trust Act No. 5 of 2001, the Trust manages the country’s national contributory pension scheme, providing retirement, invalidity and survivors’ benefits to registered workers and their dependants. Over the past year, the institution has focused on improving operational efficiency, compliance enforcement and member services.Officials say pension payments have remained consistent and timely, reinforcing confidence among retirees who depend on monthly benefits as their primary source of income. The Trust has also improved coordination with employers to enhance remittance compliance and ensure contributors’ records are properly updated.A significant component of NASSIT’s reform agenda has been digital transformation. Upgrades to its information and communications technology systems are aimed at improving data management, speeding up claims processing and enabling better access to member information. The reforms are designed to reduce administrative delays and strengthen transparency within the system.In a move widely seen as a major policy shift, NASSIT is advancing an Informal Sector Pension Scheme to extend social security coverage to self-employed workers and small-scale operators. The initiative targets traders, drivers, artisans and other informal workers who have historically operated outside the formal pension net. The scheme introduces flexible contribution options tailored to irregular income patterns, with the goal of providing long-term income security.Beyond benefit administration, NASSIT continues to invest pension funds in projects intended to generate sustainable returns while contributing to national development. These investments form part of a broader strategy to maintain the financial stability of the scheme and safeguard contributors’ funds.The Trust’s leadership has also gained continental visibility, reflecting Sierra Leone’s growing engagement in regional social security dialogue. Management maintains that ongoing reforms are intended to position NASSIT as a modern, transparent and responsive institution capable of meeting the evolving needs of the country’s workforce.As it consolidates these reforms, NASSIT says its priority remains clear: expanding coverage, strengthening compliance and ensuring that workers across Sierra Leone can retire with dignity and financial security.