NSSF pushes retirement savings into Uganda’s informal economy with SmartLife Flexi campaign

June 27, 2026 in Business, Companies by Editor

NSSF is taking retirement savings directly to Uganda’s informal economy through its SmartLife Flexi grassroots campaign, enabling boda boda riders, farmers, traders and other self-employed workers to save flexibly and build long-term financial security.

 

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is accelerating efforts to bring retirement savings to Uganda’s informal sector through a nationwide SmartLife Flexi grassroots campaign, marking one of the country’s most ambitious attempts to extend social security beyond formal employment.

The campaign is targeting boda boda riders, farmers, traders, market vendors, mechanics, salon operators, tailors, artisans and other self-employed workers who have traditionally remained outside conventional pension systems.

Over recent months, NSSF teams have conducted community outreach activities in districts including Omoro, Bududa, Sironko, Lira, Kampala, Mubende, Kyegegwa, Kiryandongo and Kole, using market activations, community meetings and partnerships with SACCOs, cooperatives and local leaders to reach thousands of potential savers.

At the centre of the campaign is SmartLife Flexi, a voluntary savings product designed for workers with irregular incomes. Unlike traditional pension schemes that require fixed monthly contributions, the platform allows members to save whenever they are able, making retirement planning more practical for people whose earnings fluctuate daily or seasonally.

NSSF says the initiative reflects a broader push to deepen financial inclusion and build long-term household resilience in an economy where the majority of workers operate in the informal sector.

“This initiative is aimed at securing every Ugandan’s future. Through SmartLife Flexi, we are taking social security closer to communities that have traditionally had limited access to retirement savings. Every Ugandan deserves the opportunity to build financial resilience and prepare for life beyond their working years,”

Dennis Marsha Kabuuka, NSSF Manager for Livelihood, said.

Beyond registering new members, the campaign is also focusing on financial literacy, with participants receiving practical training on saving consistently, managing money and planning for the future.

The approach is intended to challenge the long-held perception that retirement planning is only relevant for formally employed workers with predictable salaries.

By working through trusted community structures such as SACCOs, cooperatives and local leadership networks, NSSF is reducing barriers to access and helping informal workers enrol in familiar environments rather than through distant institutional channels.

For Uganda’s financial sector, the campaign represents more than a pension drive. It is also an effort to mobilise long-term domestic savings, expand participation in formal financial systems and create a broader base of Ugandans with retirement assets.

As outreach expands to additional districts, NSSF says it remains committed to ensuring that every Ugandan, regardless of occupation or income level, has an opportunity to build a secure financial future.

The message underpinning the campaign is simple but economically significant: the journey to financial security begins with the decision to save today.