Top 10 African countries with the best pension situation

With a growing population in numerous African countries and rising life expectancy, having a strong pension system in place is critical not just for retiree well-being, but also for governments’ long-term economic stability.

Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 African countries with the best pension fund development.
This list is courtesy of the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index Report 2024.
Namibia ranks number 1 on the list.

Most African countries have undeveloped statutory pension systems, according to the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index 2024.

The report also mentions that domestic pension funds may drive capital market development by diversifying across asset classes and investing over long periods.

A substantial pension fund serves as an important pillar in a country’s financial structure.

Pension funds, by collecting resources from workers throughout their active years, may make a considerable contribution to capital markets, particularly in developing economies, many of which can be found in Africa.

Pension funds are long-term investors that often invest in infrastructure projects, government bonds, and private-sector activities to boost economic activity.

These investments have the potential to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, expanding businesses, and developing infrastructure.

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Additionally, a well-developed pension system contributes to a more secure and less volatile financial climate, encouraging both domestic and foreign investment.

The Absa report mentioned earlier ranks the accessibility, transparency, and openness of financial markets across 29 African countries, and for this, it considers 6 primary pillars, one of which is pension fund development.

This pillar accesses the potential for institutional investors to promote capital market expansion by analyzing the size of pension fund markets, both per capita and in comparison to locally listed securities.

The pillar score is based on two components that reflect pension fund development: pension fund assets per capita to assess their size, and pension fund assets relative to domestically listed securities, weighted by liquidity, to assess their contribution to the development and activity of local capital markets.

With that said, here are the African countries with the best pension situation according to the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index.