DODOMA: THE National Social Security Fund (NSSF) aims to register 3.7 million self-employed workers by June 2031 as part of efforts to expand social security coverage, while strategic investments by the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) continue to support industrialisation and job creation.
The targets and achievements were highlighted during a parliamentary seminar in Dodoma on the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme and the Kilimanjaro International Leather Industries Company Limited (KLICL) project.
NSSF Director General Masha Mshomba said the self-employed scheme is designed to extend social protection services to millions of Tanzanians working outside the formal sector.
He said about 85 per cent of the country’s workforce, equivalent to 20.98 million of economically active citizens, is self-employed, making the programme a key vehicle for broadening social security coverage.
According to Mr Mshomba, members enrolled in the scheme are entitled to various benefits, including old-age pension, survivors’ benefits, disability benefits, maternity benefits and healthcare support.
He added that citizens can register, make contributions and access account information through digital platforms using mobile phones, with the minimum monthly contribution set at 30,000/-.
Speaking during the seminar, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations) Deus Sangu, said the government remains committed to ensuring self-employed workers gain access to social security services.
He said the group has, for many years, remained outside formal social protection systems despite its significant contribution to the national economy.
On industrial development, PSSSF Director General Fortunatus Magambo said the Kilimanjaro International Leather Industries Company Limited has emerged as a major contributor to value addition in the livestock sector and socio-economic development.
The factory, jointly owned by PSSSF and the Tanzania Prisons Service through its investment arm, Prisons Corporation Sole (PCS), provides a reliable market for hides and skins while supporting employment creation and industrial growth.
“Our factory produces high-quality leather products, creates jobs and provides a reliable market for livestock keepers, thereby contributing to community welfare and national development,” Mr Magambo said.
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Members of Parliament welcomed the expansion of social security services to self-employed workers, saying the initiative would encourage a culture of saving and strengthen income security among citizens operating in the informal sector.
The legislators also recognised the contribution of KLICL to industrialisation, value addition and economic growth, while calling for increased private sector participation to strengthen production, marketing and competitiveness in the leather industry.
Speaking on behalf of the Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Speaker Daniel Sillo said the seminar had equipped lawmakers with knowledge that would enable them to mobilise more citizens to join social security schemes and improve public understanding of strategic investments undertaken by the funds.
The seminar highlighted the growing role of social security funds not only in providing social protection but also in financing development projects that support industrialisation, employment creation and inclusive economic growth.