June 2026
29Jun

Nigeria. PenCom’s pension expansion drive targets nine million transport workers

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has rolled out a fresh drive to extend pension coverage to about nine million transport workers under the Personal Pension Plan (PPP). The plan is expected to deepen financial inclusion and expand social security for the informal sector operators. The initiative, being developed in partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), is expected to increase retirement savings among workers in one of Nigeria’s largest informal-sector groups while creating a framework for structured financing of mass-transit vehicles...

June 29, 2026
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29Jun

Brussels forces open Dutch pensions fortress – but will anyone enter?

The European Commission has persuaded the Netherlands to dismantle a long-standing barrier in one of Europe’s largest pension markets. In theory, the move could open access to more than €1.3 trillion in retirement assets. Yet in practice, the impact of this apparent victory for the EU single market may be very limited. In late May, Dutch Social Affairs Minister Hans Vijlbrief told parliament that the government would change pension legislation after the Commission concluded that current rules unfairly restrict EU...

June 29, 2026
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May 2026
22May

Financial Stability Review 2025

By Financial Stability Council The Financial Stability Review evaluates developments in Ghana’s financial system, with emphasis on policies implemented to mitigate emerging risks to financial stability. This report is organised into eight (8) chapters: macro-financial developments, developments in Ghana’s financial system, assessment of the Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Pensions Industries, financial sector resilience, and a special features section that highlights topical issues of relevance to financial stability. In this current edition, two new sections have been introduced – key Financial...

May 22, 2026
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21May

Ghana. Informal sector pension coverage rises to 16.7%

Pension coverage among informal sector workers in Ghana increased from 13.2 per cent in 2024 to 16.7 per cent in 2025, the Financial Stability Review 2025 has revealed. The Review attributed the increase to intensified public education campaigns, improved enrolment strategies, and the introduction of flexible pension products tailored to self-employed workers. The report said the growth formed part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening the sustainability of Ghana’s three-tier pension system and expanding access to retirement savings opportunities. It said the...

May 21, 2026
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18May

Jamaica. Pension regulator says micro-pension plan unworkable for informal sector

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) has ruled out a state-administered micro-pension scheme for the more than one million workers currently without retirement coverage. A micro-pension is a retirement savings product designed for low-income and informally employed workers, allowing sporadic or irregular contributions as low as $400. "It was determined that a micro-pensions product would not be feasible for Jamaica," an FSC consultation paper stated. "However, it was stressed that the  Approved Retirement Schemes (ARS) framework could be strengthened for greater accessibility...

May 18, 2026
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04May

Hundreds of thousands of Germans take to the streets over threat of pension and benefit cuts

In Germany, 366,000 people took part in protests against social benefit cuts. Trade unions are opposing reductions in pensions and healthcare spending. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets for May Day demonstrations in Germany. Participants of the rallies warned the government that they are ready to fight against cuts to pensions, social benefits, and the healthcare system, UNN reports, citing DW. "Our work first, your profit second" — under this slogan, more than 400 events were held across Germany, according...

May 4, 2026
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April 2026
30Apr

Nigeria: CPs – Pencom Sustains Push for States, Others

The National Pension Commission has sustained the drive for states, local governments and employers in formal sector to fully embrace the Contributory Pension Scheme, writes Ebere Nwoji One of the major headaches of the present leadership of the pension sector regulatory authority, the National Pension Commission (PenCom), is how to succeed in making every Nigerian with genuine means of livelihood enrol into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). The commission said the overall aim is to ensure that at advanced age, every...

April 30, 2026
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28Apr

PH leads region in pension coverage, but long-term viability questioned

The Philippines is emerging as one of Asia’s “stronger performers in pension coverage,” based on data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). “It is a sign that more workers are being brought into formal social protection systems,” said Dr. Alicor Panao, an Inquirer data scientist and associate professor at the University of the Philippines. Based on population coverage, about 55.5% of working-age Filipinos ages 15-65 are enrolled in pension schemes. Across Asia, where large informal sectors often exclude workers,...

April 28, 2026
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28Apr

Closing the pension gap: Can AI drive informal sector inclusion

Ghana’s digital transformation agenda has, over the past decade, moved from ambition to measurable progress. Foundational systems—ranging from the Ghana Card and mobile money interoperability to digitised public services and online tax administration—have reshaped how citizens interact with the state. Beyond improving administrative efficiency, these developments have established critical building blocks for broader financial inclusion, particularly among underserved segments of the economy. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex data, over 80% of adults in Ghana now have access to...

April 28, 2026
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March 2026
30Mar

India. PFRDA expands pool of pension agents to widen NPS distribution

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has expanded the pool of entities eligible to act as pension agents, allowing Points of Presence (PoPs) to engage a wider set of intermediaries to distribute pension schemes, including the National Pension System (NPS). In a circular, the regulator permitted PoPs to onboard additional categories of individuals and institutions under the “any other person” clause of the PFRDA (Point of Presence) Regulations, 2018. The move builds on earlier clarifications issued in September and...

March 30, 2026
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