OUR STRATEGY

Progress on Aspirations

The 2025 strategy is anchored on four pillars which denotes our long-term aspirations. Progress against each of our aspirations for the reporting period and outlook ahead is illustrated below:

Providing world-class service to our members

1. DELIGHTING OUR MEMBERS – CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

2021/22
  • Target: 85%
  • Achieved: 82%
2022/23
  • Target: 85%
  • Achieved: 88%
2023/24
  • Target: 90%
2025
  • Target: 95%
Key initiatives/activities to achieve targets
Develop and implement a new business model for the Fund. It will be underpinned by:
  • Market segmentation
  • Utilising data analytics
  • Leveraging on strategic partnerships
  • Product innovation
  • Customer growth
  • Customer centricity
Sustainable growth will be achieved by:
  • Focusing on a robust content-driven Financial Literacy programme to enable impactful reach across Fund segments through Digital means
  • Implementing Business Development Services (non-financial services and products offered to entrepreneurs at various stages of their business needs) through the Hi-Innovator Academy
  • Continuing to support job creation through our Hi-Innovator programme
What we did to deliver value during 2022/2023 to achieve our long-term aspirations
  • Whistleblower Platform Deployment: In December 2022, we successfully deployed a new whistleblower platform, empowering individuals to report concerns and grievances anonymously
  • Benefits Claim Digitalisation: We streamlined the benefits claim initiation process and digitised the claim form through Straight-Through Processing (STP) to provide a seamless experience for claimants
  • Employer Auto-Registration: A dedicated business development unit facilitated the mass auto-registration of employers. We reconciled data with the Uganda Revenue Authority, creating a centralised query resolution and feedback platform for employers
  • Partnerships and Expansion: We actively used existing partnerships and embraced new ones, aiming to explore new business opportunities, such as collaborations with SACCOs, investment clubs, and trade unions
  • Financial Literacy Campaigns: Through financial literacy campaigns, we educated claimants about the benefits of unit trusts, enabling them to make informed investment decisions
Outlook for the year ahead

As we strive to maintain a competitive edge in the market, our focus will be on accelerating the delivery of value-adding products and services to our clients. Three key areas that present significant growth opportunities are insurance partnerships, trusts, and wealth management.

We will continue implementing our new business model, characterised by streamlined processes, innovative technologies, and a client-centric approach. Our objective is to launch the Smart Life Savings Plan, designed to empower individuals with a powerful value proposition for voluntary savings.

Achieving competitive returns and sustainable growth

2. SUSTAINABLE GROWTH – VALUE CREATION FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY

2021/22
  • Target: UGX 17.19Tn
  • Achieved: UGX 17.25Tn
2022/23
  • Target: UGX 18.98Tn
  • Achieved: UGX 18.56Tn
2023/24
  • Projection: UGX 21.09Tn
2025
  • Target: UGX 20Tn
Key initiatives/activities to achieve targets
  • Continuous review and adjustment of our strategic asset allocation given the changes in our operating environment
  • Formalisation of a Debt Recovery Unit to help enforce compliance and support the Legal Department during recoveries
  • Create new revenue sources, including:
    • Setting up a Unit Trust to cater for short-term products
    • Trading machine-readable data with partner agencies for the benefit of our members
    • Offering payroll management services and Fund Management services using OctoPAS)
What we did to deliver value during 2022/2023 to achieve our long-term aspirations
Hi-Innovator Programme

In line with its commitment to national development, NSSF seeks to grow its membership by supporting small and growing businesses. By providing assistance and resources to these businesses, NSSF aims to catalyse their growth and create new economic opportunities for Uganda.

  • Our achievements to date are as follows:
    • 265 businesses have been provided with seed capital of up to USD 20,000
    • 60% (160 businesses) are women-led start-ups
    • 55,957 direct and indirect jobs have been created
    • Over 14,900 entrepreneurs were provided with foundational business knowledge through the Hi-Innovator Academy
Investing responsibly

The Fund remains committed to responsible and sustainable investing in ESG-compliant companies. By investing in environmentally, socially, and governance-conscious enterprises, we not only align our portfolio with ethical principles but also contribute to the greater good of the global community.

This strategy not only safeguards our investments against potential risks but also empowers us to create a positive impact on the environment and society at large.

Outlook for the year ahead

Our focus will be on implementing key actions that align with our growth and development objectives. These priority actions are aimed at fostering partnerships, optimising registration processes, enhancing asset allocation strategies, and addressing challenges in real estate development. Together, these initiatives will pave the way for a more successful and resilient future.

Partnerships for Mass Registration:

Collaborating with key stakeholders, such as the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), will be a top priority to enable the streamlining of the mass registration process, making it accessible to a broader audience

Industrial Parks Registration Drive:

We plan to conduct a focused registration campaign within industrial parks, engaging businesses to broaden our client base and provide customised financial solutions that foster their expansion and progress

Enhancing Asset Allocation:

In response to market volatility, we will continue to review our strategic asset allocation. Our focus will be on incorporating more "alternative assets" into our portfolio to mitigate risks and enhance returns for our members

Priority Delivery of the Unit Trust Model:

We will prioritise implementation of a unit trust to offer our clients a diversified investment option, fostering greater financial security

Addressing Real Estate Development Challenges:

Collaborating with government bodies, we will tackle challenges hindering real estate development to unlock growth potential in the real estate sector

Hi-Innovator programme:

We will explore new partnerships to establish a more sustainable model for the Hi-Innovator programme

Increasing efficiencies to improve service delivery

3. OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE – TURNAROUND TIME FOR PAYOUT OF MEMBERS’ BENEFITS

2021/22
  • Target: 7 days
  • Achieved: 12.3 days
2022/23
  • Target: 9 days
  • Achieved: 11.9 days
2023/24
  • Target: 4 days
2025
  • Target: 24 hours
Key initiatives/activities to achieve targets
  • Automation of all core business processes
  • Improved biometric association using a cross-reference to the NIRA database
  • Full deployment of the OctoPAS and supporting digital infrastructure to enable straight-through processing of claims
  • Product development – establish a single process and pipeline for onboarding new product(s) to the market
What we did to deliver value during 2022/2023 to achieve our long-term aspirations
Pension Administration System (OctoPAS) Implementation:

The implementation of OctoPAS has been making steady progress with final migration and Go-Live planned for early next financial year 2023/24

Smart Life Targeted Savings Product:

Smart Life is a targeted savings product which includes key features such as registration/ enrolment, contributions through multiple channels (mobile money, banks, and Visa payments), interest calculation, payment of benefits, and financial reporting through ERP. The final deployment and Go-Live of Smart Life will occur after obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals and gazetting of associated regulations

Claim Processing Efficiency:

To evaluate claim processing efficiency, the Fund closely monitors the turnaround time (TAT) metric, measuring the average time taken to process claims

Outlook for the year ahead

Our focus for the year ahead will be dedicated to re-engineering and enhancing the benefits process in support of achieving our strategic objective of paying benefits within 1 day. Priority actions include:

  • Enhancing efficiency and customer experience through integrating the benefits application, contributions, registration, and member updates using third-party channels for convenience
  • Group channel development will target distinct client segments, while real-time channel feedback will enable swift customer communication and automation will enhance back-office processes, contributions, and contract management
  • ERP deployment will centralise data and decision-making. Virtual customer service agents and language-based support will improve customer interactions
  • A financial literacy chatbot will empower clients, and a data warehouse will facilitate data-driven decisions

Becoming the employer of choice

4. EMPLOYER OF CHOICE – STAFF SATISFACTION

2021/22
  • Target: 90%
  • Achieved: 92%
2022/23
  • Target: 90%
  • Achieved: 86%
2023/24
  • Target: 95%
2025
  • Target: 95%
Key initiatives/activities to achieve targets
  • Straight through processes - turnaround time for our core people processes such as onboarding
  • Organisational redesign – operationalise the new Fund structure without adversely affecting our business
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion – establish a Mentorship Programme at the Fund led by senior female leaders
What we did to deliver value during 2022/2023 to achieve our long-term aspirations

During the year, the fund underwent significant changes with the introduction of a new business model and a new structure.

  • The succession plan for Exco and Exco-1 positions was reviewed to ensure leadership stability
  • Change management strategies were implemented to prepare staff for the future, including transparent communication, training, employee involvement, and celebrating successes

During the year, the Fund introduced two groundbreaking initiatives to empower and nurture employees:

  • Pathfinder Mentoring Programme: This pioneering programme aims to foster professional development among all employees, encouraging a culture of continuous learning. By harnessing the collective wisdom and potential within our workforce, the Pathfinder Mentoring Programme seeks to unlock the full potential of everyone, enabling them to thrive in their careers
  • Pathfinder Catalyst Academy: In line with our commitment to gender equality and women empowerment, we launched the Pathfinder Catalyst Academy. This programme is designed to empower female staff, providing them with the tools and knowledge to take control of their careers, boost assertiveness, and increase confidence
Outlook for the year ahead
  • Improving staff innovation and productivity: One of our top priorities is to enhance innovation and productivity among our staff. To achieve this, we will implement agile methodologies, fostering a dynamic and adaptive work environment
  • Initiatives to continiusly motivate staff: We will introduce initiatives to motivate and engage our staff, empowering them to perform at their best