DAR ES SALAAM: THE National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has urged employers with outstanding social security contribution arrears to take advantage of its ongoing penalty waiver to reduce their debt burden, comply with the law and safeguard workers’ social security rights.
The Fund said more than 6,000 employers have already benefited from the initiative, which has enabled it to collect over 46bn/- in outstanding contributions since the waiver took effect on June 1, 2026.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam, NSSF Director General, Masha Mshomba said the penalty waiver will remain in force until December 31, 2026, giving employers an opportunity to clear their arrears while reducing their financial burden.
“We urge all employers to take advantage of this opportunity as early as possible. The money they would otherwise have paid in penalties can instead be directed towards production, business expansion, increased productivity and improving workers’ welfare,” he said.
Under the arrangement, employers who settle all outstanding principal contributions by August 31, 2026, will qualify for a 100 per cent waiver of penalties.
Those who clear their arrears between September and October this year will receive a 75 per cent penalty waiver, while employers who settle their outstanding principal contributions between November and December will qualify for a 50 per cent waiver.
Mr Mshomba said employers who had no outstanding contribution arrears as of May 31, 2026, but owed penalties only, would also qualify for a 100 per cent waiver, provided they continue submitting their monthly contributions on time through December this year.
He said the waiver provides employers with an opportunity to regularise their contribution records while strengthening compliance with social security laws.
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“Funds that employers have been using to pay penalties can instead be invested in improving their workplaces, increasing productivity and strengthening production. That is why this opportunity has been provided to enable employers to benefit,” he said.
Mr Mshomba stressed that timely remittance of social security contributions was critical in ensuring workers receive their benefits without unnecessary delays when they retire or face other circumstances covered by the Fund.
“Our goal is to ensure that members receive their entitlements on time. Where there are delays, the cause is often an employer’s failure to submit contributions on time,” he said.
He urged employers yet to benefit from the initiative to take advantage of the remaining period before the waiver expires at the end of December.