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The Zambian government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening social protection systems, announcing plans to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 102 on minimum social security standards.
The move signals Zambia’s moral and policy commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all citizens.
Convention 102 sets global minimum benchmarks for social security, including medical care, unemployment benefits, and old-age protection, and Zambia’s readiness to ratify the instrument was confirmed in an ILO-led assessment released in November 2025.
Minister of Labour and Social Security, Brenda Tambatamba, made the announcement on Thursday during the first 2026 Tripartite Consultative Labour Council (TCLC) meeting held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) and the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
Tambatamba emphasized government’s focus on comprehensive reforms that uphold worker dignity and long-term income security. She noted that strong labour institutions were essential for effective worker protection and warned that weak structures undermine implementation efforts.
The Minister revealed that four bills were currently under review: the National Pension Scheme Bill, the Public Service Pension Fund Bill, the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund Bill and the Pension Scheme Regulation Bill. She said these reforms responded to demographic changes, shifting labour markets, and longstanding concerns raised by both workers and employers.
She also highlighted progress made since 2021, including reduced waiting periods for pension payments, introduction of partial withdrawals and penalty waivers.
Tambatamba urged TCLC stakeholders to engage constructively to ensure the reforms are transparent, balanced and socially responsive. She stressed that the proposed laws are far-reaching and have direct implications for both workers and retirees.
Labour movements, employers and the ILO expressed broad support for the pension reform agenda.
Read More: Government pushes ahead with comprehensive pension reforms
ZFE President, Myra Ngoma, praised trade unions for maintaining industrial harmony and encouraged them to expand their membership, saying strong unions contributed to stable labour relations.
She added that worker welfare should extend beyond employment into retirement and noted that including the informal sector must be matched by policies that expanded formal job opportunities, especially for young people.
ZCTU President Blake Mulala said the Congress supported reforms aimed at improving sustainability and efficiency but cautioned that workers’ retirement incomes must be safeguarded.
He stressed that pensions represented deferred wages earned over a lifetime of service, making it essential for reforms to protect dignity in retirement and prevent old-age poverty.
ILO Country Director, Wellington Chibebe, echoed these sentiments, observing that the reforms were critical in the context of rising living costs.
He said ensuring income security for Zambians in retirement was becoming increasingly important and urged the government to align its ongoing pension reforms with international minimum standards.
Chibebe also reaffirmed ILO’s support for multi-pillar pension systems that integrated social pensions, mandatory contributions and voluntary savings.
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