Govt urges employers to utilise NSSF penalty waiver
Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office responsible for Labour, Youth, Employment and Labour Relations Mr Deus Sangu speaking during the 66th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE)
Dar es Salaam. The government has urged employers across the country to take advantage of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) penalty waiver by clearing outstanding social security contribution arrears.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities), Mr Deus Sangu, said the initiative would help lower business costs, improve productivity and support economic growth.
He said the waiver forms part of the Sixth Phase Government's broader efforts under President Samia Suluhu Hassan to improve the business environment, strengthen the social security system and address employers' concerns.
Mr Sangu made the remarks in Dar es Salaam during the 67th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE), where he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NSSF and ATE.
The agreement seeks to strengthen institutional cooperation through information and expertise sharing and improve the implementation of the two institutions' mandates for the benefit of employers, employees and the country.
Mr Sangu said employment opportunities had continued to grow through government policies and collaboration between the government and the private sector.
NSSF Director General Mr Masha Mshomba said the penalty waiver, which took effect on June 1, 2026, and will remain in force until December 31, 2026, aims to ease financial pressure on employers and enable them to focus on business productivity.
He added that the partnership between NSSF and ATE would strengthen the provision of social security education and increase awareness among employers and employees on the importance of social security.
ATE Chief Executive Officer Ms Suzanne Ndomba-Doran welcomed the waiver, describing it as a timely measure that offers employers an opportunity to regularise their statutory obligations without affecting business sustainability.
She said the initiative reflects cooperation between the government and social security institutions in promoting compliance with the law, expanding registration and increasing contribution collections while protecting workers' interests.
"We encourage employers to seize this opportunity and regularise their contribution obligations without delay," she said.
Ms Ndomba-Doran said ATE has continued to raise awareness of the waiver through its communication platforms and education programmes to ensure employers fully utilise the opportunity, supporting business sustainability and growth in the employment sector.
