Informal Sector Pensions: Protecting millions of East Africans from old-age poverty

By Joseph Lutwama.

It is everyone’s desire to retire with a roof over their head and a decent income that will sustain them through their old age. However, very few ever realize that ideal, and it remains a dream that eludes millions in the region. Many East Africans never retire but die while toiling away as their productivity decreases. Economists and financial experts tell us that it is possible for one to save for retirement, and if those savings are invested well, they stand a better chance of reducing their old-age vulnerability and living their retirement dream. However, this is not the case in East Africa. Kenya, which has the highest pension sector coverage, sees only two out of every 10 working adults save for retirement. What could explain this paradox? In East Africa, the pension system is predominantly focused on the formal sector, leaving the informal sector largely unattended to. With levels of informal employment in East Africa as high as 91 percent, it follows that there would be such low levels of formal retirement savings.