The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has unveiled a new investment strategy that will see workers’ pension contributions channelled into large infrastructure and real estate projects, as the fund targets higher returns and faster benefit payouts for members.
The move is part of NSSF’s plan to deliver an annual return of 17 per cent while growing its asset base to Ksh 1 trillion. Fund officials say the strategy focuses on long-term investments that offer stable income and can also support national development.
At the top of the list is a proposed investment of up to Ksh 30 billion in the Rironi–Mau Summit road project. The 175-kilometre stretch forms part of the A8 highway linking Nairobi to Nakuru and Western Kenya and is currently being expanded from a single carriageway into a modern dual carriageway under a Public-Private Partnership framework.
Mike Macharia, a trustee representing the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), said the project is expected to generate reliable returns while easing congestion on one of the country’s busiest highways.
“We are looking at putting about KSh30 billion into the Rironi–Mau Summit project. It is an investment that will give us returns that we will be proud of. It has a social impact; people will no longer be sleeping on the Nakuru Highway. It will also open up trade,” he said.
Macharia noted that the road will initially operate as a toll facility to allow investors to recover their funds, but an alternative non-tolled road will remain available for motorists who do not wish to pay.
“It will be a toll road, but there will be an alternative road for those who do not want to use the toll. The toll is for some time until the return is realised,” he said, adding that Kenya should increasingly rely on its own pension savings rather than foreign funds to build major infrastructure.
The Rironi–Mau Summit road project was launched by President William Ruto in November 2025 and is scheduled for completion by June 1, 2027, at an estimated cost of Ksh 200 billion. The upgrade is expected to significantly reduce traffic delays and improve road safety along the busy corridor.
NSSF skyscraper
In addition to infrastructure, NSSF is also eyeing major real estate developments to grow contributors’ savings. The fund plans to construct a high-rise building on its land along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi’s central business district, which is expected to generate long-term rental income.
Rose Omamo, a trustee representing the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU), said the proposed skyscraper is a strategic investment for the fund.
“As a Fund, we feel that it is time to contribute to national economic stability, whereby we can have big buildings that can help this fund to grow. When the fund grows, it means the pensioners, the contributors, will have a better payout when they retire,” she said.
NSSF Chief Executive Officer David Koross said the fund is already delivering on its promises to improve value for members and efficiency in processing benefits.
Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Sunday, February 8, 2026, Koross said the fund is prioritising quicker decision-making and new investment opportunities.
“What we have done at NSSF is we are looking at the agility in decision-making. We are looking at new investment opportunities that have come up. These investment opportunities yield a better yield,” he said.
NSSF says the new strategy is aimed at strengthening the fund’s long-term sustainability while ensuring better retirement benefits for millions of Kenyan workers.
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