African countries need urgent pension reforms – Veep to APSA participants

Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for urgent pension reforms across Africa, warning that nearly 85 percent of the continent’s workforce remains outside formal retirement protection.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Annual Conference of the African Pension Supervisors Association (APSA) in Accra, the Vice President said the continent must rethink pension systems to reflect the realities of Africa’s labour market, where a large share of workers operate in the informal sector and earn irregular incomes.

The Vice President outlined four key priorities for African pension systems: accelerating pension inclusion, particularly among informal workers; harnessing technology and innovation to improve access and service delivery; strengthening cross-border cooperation and portability of benefits; and promoting awareness, transparency and accountability across pension institutions.