The State of Pension Administration in East Africa: Challenges, Openings, and What Comes Next East Africa — here meaning Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan — is now home to well over 220 million people in total, based on recent national estimates for 2025.  The region blends fast-growing capitals like Nairobi and Kampala with largely rural economies where agriculture and informal trade still dominate employment. Pension systems in this region matter for three reasons: they are one of the only formal old-age income guarantees available to workers, they are increasingly important pools of domestic long-term capital, and they are under real stress from informality, governance weaknesses, and demographic change. (ILO, 2021; Retirement Benefits Authority , 2025). This review walks through how these systems were built, who they reach (and don’t reach), how they fit into broader social protection, how they’ve been reforming, what the financial picture looks like,...

Eswatini, a landlocked kingdom in Southern Africa with approximately 1.2 million citizens, maintains a social security system to support its population amid economic and demographic challenges (United Nations, 2023). This blog provides an overview of Eswatini’s current social security framework, key institutions, and the challenges hindering comprehensive coverage, based on verifiable data. Historical Context Before independence in 1968, Eswatini (then Swaziland) relied on traditional extended family structures and limited colonial welfare provisions, primarily for civil servants (International Social Security Association , 2019). Post-independence, the government formalized social security, establishing the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) in 1974 as the primary retirement scheme for private sector workers (Social Security Administration, 2019). Despite progress, coverage remains limited compared to developed economies due to a large informal economy and fiscal constraints (International Labour Organization , 2022). Current Social Security Framework Eswatini’s social security system comprises contributory and non-contributory programs, managed by distinct institutions:...