The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is a government agency responsible for providing social security services to workers in the formal and informal sectors.
On 19th June 2024, a public notice was issued to all employers concerning a general pardon for those with outstanding arrears of statutory contributions and penalties. The notice set out the following conditions for this pardon to be applied:
i. The employers who settle all their overdue statutory contribution payments (the principal amount) to the fund by 31st July 2024, and who also ensure they are up-to-date with their ongoing statutory contribution payments by that same date, will be completely forgiven for any penalties that have accrued due to late payments.
In other words, if employers meet these conditions, they will not have to pay any fines or additional charges related to their past overdue payments.
ii. That the employers who pay all their outstanding arrears of statutory contributions (the principal amount) owed to the fund by 31st August 2024, and who also stay current with their ongoing statutory contribution payments, will receive a 75% reduction in any penalties that have accrued due to late payments.
In other words, if employers meet these conditions, they will only need to pay 25% of the overdue penalties.
iii. That the employers who do not have any outstanding arrears of statutory contributions (the principal amount) as of 31st May 2024, and who continue to remain current in their statutory contribution payments until 31st July 2024, will be 100% forgiven for any overdue penalties. In other words, if employers are up-to-date with their payments as of 31st May 2024, and continue to make timely payments through 31st July 2024, they will not have to pay any penalties that may have previously accrued.
Therefore, the pardon period to settle the outstanding arrears of statutory contributions runs from 1st July 2024 to 31st August 2024. Attached is the public notice issued by NSSF.