The Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, emphasized the commitment of President Brigadier General (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio’s administration to enhance social protection coverage for the informal sector. His remarks were made during the 130th Meeting of the Bureau of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) held in Geneva on June 24, 2025.
Daboh highlighted the importance of the informal sector, which he described as the largest contributor to Sierra Leone’s economy, asserting that its workers should have equitable access to social protection. “Social security is a fundamental human right,” he stated, underlining that social security institutions bear the responsibility of ensuring citizens can access this right under optimal conditions.
During the meeting, Mr. Daboh acknowledged the achievements of NASSIT in providing social protection to formal sector workers. However, he expressed concern over the challenges in extending similar protections to informal workers, citing the long-term benefits currently offered by the Trust as a barrier. “We have made significant efforts to develop a scheme that addresses the specific needs of the informal sector in Sierra Leone,” he said.
Discussions about extending coverage to the informal sector began in 2007 but gained momentum in 2018. Since then, NASSIT has actively engaged with development partners, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), to seek technical support. “We have designed a new policy scheme that has been validated by the ILO, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, and the Steering Committee,” Daboh reported, emphasizing the need for comprehensive stakeholder engagement and the validation of the National Informal Sector Policy framework.
Daboh also shared that the new scheme is expected to be launched by the end of 2025 and will become operational in January 2026. He recently met with Shahra Razavi, the Director of the Universal Social Protection Department at the ILO, to discuss progress in extending social protection to informal sector workers, who constitute a significant portion of Sierra Leone’s workforce. The Director General proposed the ILO’s assistance in securing a resident consultant, enhancing capacity building, and facilitating experience-sharing.
In response, Razavi commended Daboh for his ambitious efforts to expand social security coverage to informal workers and indicated a willingness to explore further discussions with the ILO’s regional office in Abuja, Nigeria, regarding training components for the initiative.
The ISSA Bureau meeting took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 23 and 24, 2025, highlighting international collaboration in social security advancements.
