The Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, has underscored the centrality of good governance in building effective and sustainable social security systems. He made that assertion during a high-level panel discussion on the ISSA Guidelines on Good Governance and the Experiences of NASSIT at the World Social Security Forum held on September 30, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Speaking to an audience of Ministers, policymakers and social security experts from across the globe, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, emphasized that good governance fosters public trust, ensures financial sustainability and guarantees the timely delivery of benefits to members in times of need. He highlighted five key principles of good governance and acknowledged the unique challenges faced by Sierra Leone in implementing them.
Addressing ongoing reforms within NASSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh revealed that the institution is undergoing a comprehensive digital transformation aimed at improving efficiency and transparency. “Our ICT systems were fragmented and somewhat inefficient,” he said, “but we have embarked on an ambitious digital reform programme that includes data cleaning, a web-based Pension Administration System, a biometric registration system and infrastructure upgrades.”
He noted that the biometric verification system, once implemented, would streamline pension payments, curb fraud and eliminate ghost pensioners from the payroll.
Expanding on coverage, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh announced NASSIT’s efforts to extend social protection to informal sector workers. “With support from the International Labour Organisation and the Attorney General’s Office, we have drafted a bill to establish a social insurance scheme for informal sector workers,” he disclosed.
Mohamed Fuaad Daboh further spoke on the establishment of a dedicated Social Security Court by the Judiciary of Sierra Leone to handle NASSIT compliance cases. He stressed that benefit formulas and eligibility criteria are clearly defined in the NASSIT Act and communicated to stakeholders through brochures, service charters and digital platforms , ensuring transparency and predictability for contributors.
Despite economic challenges, the NASSIT Director General expressed pride in the institution’s consistency in paying pensions promptly and regularly, describing it as a vital pillar for nation-building and retiree confidence. During the Forum, he also held bilateral and multilateral meetings with key international stakeholders, including the leadership of the International Social Security Association (ISSA), to discuss the establishment of the Salone Informal Sector Pension Scheme.
The World Social Security Forum, organized by the ISSA and hosted by Malaysia’s Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) from September 29 to October 3, 2025, brought together global leaders to deliberate on how social protection systems can adapt to rapid demographic, economic and technological shifts.
Key outcomes of the Forum emphasized the importance of resilient, inclusive and digitized social protection systems, greater collaboration among ISSA member institutions and enhanced data-driven policymaking to strengthen national social security frameworks.
