The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Soroti, Uganda | URN | The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has warned its clients to be aware of persons claiming that they can assist them in accessing their benefits.
Patrick Ayota, the Managing Director of NSSF, said individuals posing as NSSF employees often lurk around their offices, preying on desperate clients seeking quick service.
“Let our clients know that we have qualified staff who provide every service at no cost. Do not be lured by these conmen,” Ayota urged.
The call was made during the Regional Employer Meeting held on April 9, 2026, in Soroti City, where NSSF staff engaged with business managers from Eastern Uganda. Ayota noted that these impersonators frequently promise clients connections to expedite their access to funds, misleading them about the NSSF’s processes.
“NSSF now remits money to qualifying clients within four working days. Many cases have emerged where brokers defraud clients using various tricks. Recently, we dealt with a case where a broker took 40% of a client’s benefits, falsely claiming to have facilitated the fund’s processing,” Ayota explained.
Ayota encouraged clients to utilise the whistleblower program available at various branches nationwide to report such incidents.
“We have noticed that many people do not regularly check their information with NSSF. When retirement approaches, they often seek assistance from others, which leads them to these fraudulent individuals,” he added.
He also warned company CEOs about the consequences of non-compliance regarding fund remittances. He emphasised that continued failure to comply could result in the prosecution of company directors and senior officers, including imprisonment.
He clarified that since the removal of the minimum employee threshold in 2022, all employers, including those with a single employee, are required to remit NSSF contributions.
Ayota stated, “If you deduct an employee’s 5 per cent and do not remit it, you have robbed that worker.” He urged employees to regularly check their statements and keep evidence of payments to support complaints against non-compliant employers.
Ayota noted that the lack of documentation complicates the Fund’s enforcement of compliance, especially when payments are made in cash.
”The Fund has largely achieved the targets set under its 2015-2025 strategic plan,” Ayota reported. Staff satisfaction improved from 71 to 91 per cent, and customer satisfaction rose from 68 to 88 per cent. The processing time for benefits has significantly decreased from about 30 days to just two days.
In terms of growth, NSSF exceeded its targets, expanding from 5.5 trillion in 2015 to 26 trillion Shillings by June 2025, surpassing the initial projection of 20 trillion Shillings.
“Members trusted us with their money, and we have grown beyond our expectations,” Ayota stated.
Looking ahead, under a new 10-year strategy running until 2035, the Fund aims to grow assets to 50 trillion Shillings. Membership rose from 3.3 million to 15 million people, and achieved 95 per cent satisfaction levels among stakeholders
