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African countries need urgent pension reforms – Veep to APSA participants
July 30, 2026
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African countries need urgent pension reforms – Veep to APSA participants

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Key Points

  • Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for urgent pension reforms across Africa, highlighting that nearly 85% of the continent's workforce lacks formal retirement protection.
  • She stressed that traditional pension systems, designed for formal employment, are ill-suited for Africa's diverse labor market, which includes a large informal sector with irregular incomes.
  • The Vice President urged African countries to leverage technology like digital identification, mobile money, and fintech to expand pension coverage and improve service delivery.
  • She emphasized the need for pension systems to balance broad coverage with long-term financial sustainability and public trust, warning against systems that exclude the majority or cannot honor obligations.
  • Key priorities outlined include accelerating pension inclusion (especially for informal workers), harnessing technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation and benefit portability, and promoting awareness and accountability.

Why This Matters

This article is highly significant for Ghana as it directly addresses a critical socio-economic challenge faced by the nation and the continent. As an African country with a substantial informal sector, Ghana's future economic stability and social welfare depend on reforming its pension system to include more citizens and ensure long-term sustainability. The Vice President's call to action and Ghana's role in hosting the conference underscore its commitment to leading these essential reforms.

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