By Mackie M. Jalloh
The Director General of Sierra Leone’s National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, has earned continental acclaim after being named Most Outstanding Personality in Public Insurance and Social Security in Africa at a prestigious global awards ceremony held in Accra, Ghana.
The honour was conferred by Bold Solution under the auspices of the African Development Conference, during the 5th edition of the African Public Service Optimum Awards, hosted at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on Thursday, 18 December 2025. The high-profile event drew more than 250 participants, including ambassadors, senior government officials from Ghana and across Africa, policy experts, technocrats, and development partners.
Mr Daboh, a respected Sierra Leonean technocrat and reform-driven public servant, was also a leading voice at the conference, which was held under the theme “Building Africa Through Leadership and Development.” As a panellist, he delivered a compelling address that placed leadership at the heart of Africa’s development agenda, identifying visionary leadership, innovative leadership, ethical leadership, and good governance as the pillars required to transform Africa’s vast potential into tangible progress.
In his remarks, the NASSIT Director General stressed that Africa stands at a defining crossroads, where the promise of prosperity depends largely on strong institutions and leaders committed to service, transparency, accountability, and results. He argued that leadership is not merely about authority, but about building resilient systems capable of sustaining inclusive growth for generations.
Accepting the award, Mr Daboh expressed deep gratitude, describing the recognition as a validation of years of hard work and collective effort aimed at improving the lives of Sierra Leoneans through an efficient and credible social insurance system.
“This award does not belong to me alone,” he said. “It belongs to the Board, Management, and staff of NASSIT, to His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio, and above all, to the people of Sierra Leone who continue to place their trust in our institution.”
He also thanked the organisers, Bold Solution, for recognising NASSIT’s reforms for the second time, noting that such acknowledgment serves as motivation to deepen institutional transformation and expand social protection coverage.
A central focus of Mr Daboh’s address was the urgent need to extend social security coverage to Africa’s vast informal sector, which he noted accounts for over 80 percent of the workforce in many African countries, including Sierra Leone. He revealed that NASSIT is intensifying efforts to design inclusive systems that bring informal workers into the social security net, ensuring long-term protection, dignity, and financial security.
He further challenged African leaders to rethink social security not as a bureaucratic obligation, but as a strategic investment for national development. According to him, well-managed social security systems mobilise domestic capital, promote economic stability, reduce poverty, and empower citizens—especially young people—to invest confidently in their futures.
“Visionary leadership means building systems today that are resilient and inclusive enough to sustain the Africa we aspire to see tomorrow,” Mr Daboh stated, adding that ethical leadership and sound governance are indispensable in unlocking Africa’s boundless potential.
Emphasising that trust is the currency of any administration, he warned that mismanagement of social security funds erodes public confidence, weakens participation, and ultimately leads to institutional collapse. Transparency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making, he argued, must be non-negotiable standards in public service.
To resounding applause, Mr Daboh highlighted social security as a cornerstone of social and economic development, explaining that predictable support systems reduce vulnerability, stimulate entrepreneurship, and create opportunities for youth through initiatives such as vocational training, micro-pensions, and enterprise support.
Concluding his address, the NASSIT Director General described social security as one of Africa’s most powerful tools for transformation.
“If we lead with integrity, innovate with purpose, and design inclusive systems, we can build an Africa where no one is left behind—where social security is not a privilege, but a right,” he declared.
On behalf of President Julius Maada Bio and the people of Sierra Leone, Mr Daboh reaffirmed the country’s commitment to continental cooperation, shared leadership, and collective action in shaping Africa’s future.
