By Mackie M. Jalloh
A pivotal institutional transition unfolded at the Walpole Street headquarters of Sierra Leone’s National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. Stepping into the executive seat is Chernor Mamoud Jalloh, who assumes the Director General role following the conclusion of Mohamed Fuaad Daboh’s impactful seven-year tenure. The high-level leadership rotation extended to the Trust’s governance structure, as outgoing Board Chairperson Isata Marah officially transferred governance authority to Janneh Jabati.
Rather than representing a mere administrative shift, the handover marks a strategic juncture for the pension scheme. During his exit address, Daboh highlighted key milestones achieved since his May 2018 appointment under President Julius Maada Bio. His term was defined by substantial structural updates, including:
Digital Transformation: Modernizing core IT infrastructure to streamline worker claims and operational workflows.
Regional Decentralization: Expanding physical access via new operational centers in Bo and Port Loko to bring services closer to beneficiaries.
Informal Sector Integration: Developing draft legislation designed to extend pension coverage to millions operating outside the formal economy.
Global Standing: Elevating Sierra Leone’s presence within the International Social Security Association and securing the vice presidency of the Association of Social Security Administrations of Africa.
In his departing message, Daboh urged the incoming team to maintain contributors and retirees as the absolute core of NASSIT’s mission, reminding them that “behind every contribution is a worker’s hope and a family’s future.”
Incoming Director General Chernor Mamoud Jalloh signaled a measured, analytical approach to his stewardship. Pledging absolute commitment to prudent management and financial integrity, Jalloh outlined an immediate agenda focused on comprehensive institutional diagnostics. Before implementing policy shifts, his leadership team will audit NASSIT’s financial posture, technological capabilities, and asset portfolios in collaboration with the Board and oversight ministry. Emphasizing the fundamental purpose of the Trust, Jalloh stressed that public trust must remain non-negotiable.
Parallel changes at the board level reflect an increased focus on asset management and solvency. Leaving her post to take up new duties at the Ministry of Finance, outgoing Chair Isata Marah noted recent comprehensive reviews of NASSIT’s provincial investments and subsidiaries. Building on that foundation, incoming Board Chair Janneh Jabati drawing on extensive experience within the Ministry of Finance and financial sectors committed to prioritizing long-term fund sustainability and investment performance.
Endorsing the transition, Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security Mohamed Rahman Swarray emphasized policy continuity. Swarray outlined upcoming legislative reforms aimed at linking pension payouts directly to shifts in worker incomes and the national minimum wage, reinforcing the mandatory push to cover informal economy workers.
