The plan was outlined by RSSB Director General Regis Rugemanshuro during a meeting with Members of Parliament serving on the Committee on Social Affairs.
He explained that RSSB is refining several retirement savings programs to prevent citizens from facing financial hardship once they are no longer able to work.
To improve compliance and transparency, RSSB has introduced systems that make it easier for employers to remit employees’ contributions, while allowing workers to track their contributions more easily. These measures are supported by the Ishema digital platform, which provides clear and accessible information on social security payments.
Rugemanshuro noted that RSSB is legally mandated to recover unpaid contributions from defaulting employers. Enforcement measures include administrative penalties, as provided by law, and in some cases the freezing of bank accounts belonging to non-compliant institutions.
However, he acknowledged that enforcement can be sensitive when it comes to public institutions.
“In the case of government entities such as health facilities, freezing accounts could disrupt essential services and create bigger problems than those we are trying to address,” he said.
Despite these challenges, RSSB continues to intensify efforts to recover outstanding pension contributions in line with legal and operational procedures. Digital reminder systems are being rolled out, alongside data-driven recovery methods that identify high-risk defaulters and guide enforcement actions where necessary.
In 2025, RSSB significantly increased the minimum benefits paid to retirees and to beneficiaries of work-related injury schemes. The minimum pension rose from Rwf 13,000 to Rwf 33,710.
As a result, beneficiaries who previously received Rwf 20,000 now receive Rwf 47,710, while those earning Rwf 50,000 now receive Rwf 92,710. Payments for beneficiaries at the Rwf 100,000 level increased to Rwf 155,210, those receiving Rwf 500,000 now get Rwf 580,210, and beneficiaries who previously earned Rwf 1,000,000 now receive Rwf 1,095,210.
RSSB said the increases follow the rise in contribution rates from 6% to 12%, a move Rugemanshuro described as essential for improving members’ welfare and supporting broader national development.
{{Ejo Heza to play a central role}}
Rugemanshuro stressed that the long-term goal is not only to expand coverage, but also to encourage Rwandans to save regularly and in sufficient amounts.
He said the Ejo Heza long-term savings scheme will be a key pillar of this strategy. The program currently has more than four million registered savers, including workers in the informal sector.
“Just as health insurance has become universal in Rwanda, the goal is for every Rwandan to save for retirement,” he said. “This process has already begun through schemes like Ejo Heza. Over the next five years, the program will be strengthened, and benefits for members will be improved.”
Using a medical analogy, Rugemanshuro explained that consistency matters. “If a doctor prescribes medicine to be taken three times a day, taking it only once means the treatment is incomplete. In the same way, saving occasionally is not enough. Our aim is to put in place measures that encourage frequent and adequate saving.”
RSSB emphasized that promoting a culture of saving should start early, so that citizens reach retirement age with meaningful financial security.
In 2025 alone, RSSB paid benefits to 58,115 people, including old-age pensions, early retirement benefits, disability benefits unrelated to work, and survivor benefits paid to families of deceased contributors.
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