NASSIT Engages Media on bringing Informal Sector under Social Security Net
On Friday 25th April,2025, National Social Security and Insurance Trust engaged journalists on their effort to bring Sierra Leone’s informal sector under the social security net.
The one-day media engagement was hosted at Freetown International Conference Centre on Aberdeen in Freetown under the theme “Moving into the Informal Sector: The Role of the Press.”
Speaking at the event, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry, emphasized that although the informal sector employs over 70% of Sierra Leone’s workforce including women, youth, and small-scale traders it remains largely unregulated. He noted that workers in the informal economy often lack access to essential services such as pensions, insurance, healthcare, and legal protections.
“The Ministry recognizes that formalizing the informal sector is about inclusion, dignity, and empowerment,” Sesay said. He highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the development of a strategy for formalization, reforms to streamline business registration, promoting financial access and literacy, supporting cooperatives, and leveraging digital technology.
He also called on the media to use their platforms to inform and inspire informal workers about opportunities for formalization, stressing the power of the media to make formalization aspirational, not burdensome.
Mohamed Fuad Dabor, NASSIT’s Director General, acknowledged the crucial role journalists play in bridging the gap between the institution and the public. He highlighted major reforms undertaken by NASSIT over the past year, including the enhancement of digital service platforms and expanded public education campaigns.
Dabor admitted that there are challenges with employers, especially those in sectors with high number of foreign workers. He revealed that enforcement actions are being followed and urged the press to help hold defaulters accountable.
Dabor further announced that NASSIT has developed a blueprint for a new informal sector social insurance scheme. “Our goal is to create a flexible, affordable, and accessible scheme tailored to the realities of the informal economy, ensuring no Sierra Leonean is left behind,” he said.
Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah, President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), described the workshop as timely as it aligned with SLAJ’s mission to promote development journalism. He urged journalists to go beyond traditional reporting by crafting stories that resonate with informal workers through community radio, storytelling, and drama.
Nasrallah encouraged NASSIT to view the media as strategic partners rather than mere information conduits. “We are ready to co-create campaigns, organize training for journalists on social security issues, and help monitor public sentiment to improve outreach,” he assured.
In his presentation, Dr. Tonya Musa, a senior communications lecturer at Fourah Bay College and a facilitator at the workshop, emphasized the critical role of the media in promoting the participation of the informal sector in social security programs. He outlined several strategies, including running targeted informational campaigns, using storytelling to highlight success stories, and developing educational programs featuring experts and policymakers.
He also emphasized the media’s power to influence public opinion by reporting on social security challenges, advocating for policy reforms, and holding policymakers accountable. Dr. Musa further encouraged the media to counter misinformation and showcase positive examples of informal sector inclusion.
He concluded by affirming that through these efforts, the media can play a transformative role in creating a more inclusive social security system.
The workshop concluded with a commitment from both NASSIT and media stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, increase public awareness, and ensure that informal sector workers are not left behind in the country’s expanding social security programs.
