NSSA renews pension certificates

The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has announced the commencement of its annual life certificate renewal exercise, urging all pensioners to physically verify their status to ensure continued access to pension benefits.

The exercise began on Monday, August 4, and will run until October 31, 2025, the authority said in a public notice released this week.

"Pensioners should come to NSSA in person with the original and a copy of their national identity card or a valid passport. A driver's licence will not be accepted as proof of identity," the statement read.

The Life Certificate is a critical document issued by NSSA to verify that pensioners are still alive and eligible to continue receiving their monthly payments. The verification process is conducted annually to curb fraud and ensure the integrity of the pension system.

NSSA also made provisions for pensioners who are too ill, bedridden, or severely disabled to travel. In such cases, NSSA officers will conduct home visits, provided the pensioners or their caregivers submit contact addresses and mobile numbers to the nearest NSSA office.

To improve accessibility, NSSA officers will be stationed at POSB, NBS, and ZimPost outlets during pension paydays. The authority added that officers would also cover business centres and growth points on specific dates to be announced in due course.

For pensioners living outside Zimbabwe, NSSA advised that the diaspora life certificate form is available for download from the NSSA website. These pensioners must complete and submit the form as part of their compliance.

NSSA warned that failure to comply with the life certificate renewal requirements would result in the suspension of pension benefits until proper verification is completed.

The annual verification exercise is part of NSSA's broader effort to improve accountability and service delivery in the pension system, which supports thousands of retired Zimbabweans across the country and abroad.