Yesterday in Lusaka, Zambia, I had the distinct privilege of presenting a copy of The Practitioner's Guide to Pension Administration to Mrs. Namakau Ntini, Registrar & CEO of the Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA), Zambia.
This was far more than handing over a book.
It was a shared commitment to strengthening pension administration across Africa.
The Zambian pensions industry has made remarkable progress under Mrs. Namakau Ntini's leadership.
Today, industry assets stand at around K26.88 billion, reflecting sustained growth and increasing confidence in the pension system. More importantly, that growth has been accompanied by stronger institutions.
During her tenure, PIA has:
Strengthened pension fund governance.
Introduced mandatory Certificate of Competence training for Trustees.
Enhanced prudential supervision.
Promoted investment diversification.
Increased industry collaboration through annual pension conferences.
Intensified financial literacy programmes.
Continued implementing the Pension Scheme Regulations, 2021.
These achievements demonstrate an important truth:
Strong pension industries are built by knowledgeable people - not systems alone.
Technology is important.
Regulation is essential.
But institutional capacity is the foundation upon which both succeed.
That is why I wrote The Practitioner's Guide to Pension Administration.
At over 640 pages, the book was written to become an institutional reference for Regulators, Pension Authorities, Trustees, Secretariats, Administrators, Fund Managers, Custodians, Actuaries, Auditors, ICT Teams and everyone committed to improving retirement outcomes.
Across Africa, organisations invest millions in pension administration systems.
Yet the greatest return often comes from investing in the people who govern, regulate and administer those systems.
One well-equipped professional can transform an institution.
One empowered institution can transform an industry.
My sincere appreciation to Mrs. Namakau Ntini, Goodson Kapaso and the entire team at PIA Zambia for their leadership and unwavering commitment to strengthening Zambia's pension sector.
My challenge to every Pension Regulator, Pension Authority and Pension Fund in Africa is simple:
Make institutional capacity building a strategic investment - not an afterthought.
Because when regulators learn...
Governance improves.
When governance improves...
Institutions become stronger.
And when institutions become stronger...
Millions of Africans retire with greater dignity, security and confidence.
Knowledge is not an expense. It is one of the highest-return investments a pension institution can ever make.
