The digital solution, spearheaded by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), was formally unveiled in Nairobi during a national event officiated by President William Ruto. The nationwide rollout follows a highly successful two-month pilot project that mobilized KES 509 million in cumulative savings and enrolled 489,197 members from the informal economy.
Tailored for the Informal Economy
Informal sector workers across Kenya can now secure their financial future right from their feature phones following the official national launch of the upgraded Haba Haba micro-pension platform.
The digital solution, spearheaded by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), was formally unveiled in Nairobi during a national event officiated by President William Ruto. The nationwide rollout follows a highly successful two-month pilot project that mobilized KES 509 million in cumulative savings and enrolled 489,197 members from the informal economy.
Tailored for the Informal Economy
Haba Haba targets millions of Kenyans working in low-income or flexible-income setups such as gig workers, small traders, and artisans who historically lacked access to structured retirement schemes.
Key features of the platform include:
Low Barrier to Entry: Daily contributions start from as little as KES 25.
Feature Phone Accessibility: Members can register and make daily contributions simply by dialing *254# on any mobile phone, eliminating the need for a smartphone or branch visit.
Hybrid Split Model (30/70): To assist workers with liquidity while building long-term wealth, every contribution is automatically split:
30% is funneled into an accessible short-term wallet for daily emergencies.
70% is locked away into a long-term pension reserve for retirement.
Speaking at the launch event, NSSF Managing Trustee and CEO Mr. David Koross emphasized that social security must be accessible to every working Kenyan regardless of their sector.
"With Haba Haba, we are building a financial bridge that meets everyday workers where they are, because social security should never be a privilege reserved for the few. This is how we are transforming how Kenya's vibrant informal economy plans for tomorrow."
— Mr. David Koross, NSSF CEO & Managing Trustee
Anchored on Legal Mandates
The digital micro-pension platform is grounded in Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees the right to social security, and is backed by the NSSF Act of 2013.
By bringing millions of self-employed citizens into the formal financial safety net, the National Social Security Fund aims to establish grass-roots economic resilience and foster inclusive growth across the country. Informal workers can sign up immediately by dialing *254# or visiting the official NSSF website or the NSSF Self-Service Portal for further details.