Togo Cabinet: Approves INSS Merger Bill for Public Employee Benefits

• Togo's cabinet approved a bill on November 6 to merge public employee pension and health insurance agencies into a single entity.
• The proposed Institut national de sécurité sociale (INSS) will combine the Caisse de retraites du Togo (CRT) and the Institut national d’assurance maladie (INAM).
• The merger aims to simplify access to services for public employees and retirees, reduce duplicated administrative functions, and lower operating costs.
• In 2024, CRT served 40,943 pension beneficiaries with CFAF 2 billion in operating expenses, while INAM covered 509,902 people with CFAF 4.4 billion in expenses.
• The INSS will serve civilian government employees, military personnel, retirees, and their eligible dependents, ensuring uninterrupted benefit access.

This unified approach is intended to ensure continuous access to benefits, both during an individual's employment and throughout their retirement years.

Togo's cabinet has given its approval to a legislative proposal designed to unify the country's public employee pension and health insurance systems. This significant step occurred during a cabinet meeting held in Lomé on November 6, presided over by Faure Gnassingbé, the President of the Council of Ministers. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a new, consolidated entity, the Institut national de sécurité sociale (INSS), which will streamline the administration of social benefits for government workers.

This initiative is set to integrate the functions of two existing bodies: the Caisse de retraites du Togo (CRT), currently responsible for managing pension benefits for public sector employees, and the Institut national d’assurance maladie (INAM), which oversees their health insurance provisions. The creation of the INSS represents a strategic move to centralize services that are presently fragmented across separate agencies, aiming to enhance efficiency and accessibility for beneficiaries.

The primary objective behind this merger is to simplify the process for public employees and retirees when accessing their pension and health insurance services. Under the existing framework, individuals are compelled to interact with distinct agencies depending on the specific service required, leading to administrative complexities and potential inefficiencies. The government has explicitly cited the presence of redundant administrative functions and varying levels of service quality as key motivators for this reform.

Furthermore, the consolidation is expected to yield reductions in operating costs by eliminating duplication and optimizing resource allocation. By bringing together the resources of both the CRT and INAM under the single umbrella of the INSS, the government anticipates a more cohesive and cost-effective delivery of essential social security benefits. This unified approach is intended to ensure continuous access to benefits, both during an individual's employment and throughout their retirement years.

The newly proposed Institut national de sécurité sociale (INSS) is designed to cater to a broad spectrum of beneficiaries within the Togolese public sector. Its mandate will extend to civilian government employees, military personnel, and all retirees, alongside their eligible dependents. This comprehensive coverage underscores the government's commitment to providing a unified and accessible social safety net for a significant portion of its workforce and their families.

According to data outlined in Togo's 2026-2028 budget planning document, the scale of operations for the merging entities is substantial. In 2024, the Caisse de retraites du Togo (CRT) served 40,943 pension beneficiaries, a figure that includes both retirees and their qualified dependents. Concurrently, the Institut national d’assurance maladie (INAM) provided coverage to a much larger population, encompassing 509,902 individuals, highlighting the extensive reach of these social protection programs.

The financial implications of maintaining separate social security agencies are also a driving factor behind the proposed merger. The 2026-2028 budget planning document for Togo reveals the distinct operating expenses incurred by the two institutions in 2024. The Caisse de retraites du Togo (CRT) reported operating expenses totaling CFAF 2 billion for that year.

In contrast, the Institut national d’assurance maladie (INAM) recorded significantly higher operating costs, amounting to CFAF 4.4 billion during the same period. The government's reform initiative, which includes the establishment of the INSS, aims to address these financial outlays by consolidating services and resources, thereby seeking greater efficiency and potentially reducing overall administrative expenditures in the long term. This merger is part of ongoing efforts in Togo.

Lawyers advising public sector employees or unions in Togo should closely monitor the legislative enactment of the INSS merger bill to understand the new consolidated framework for pension and health insurance benefits, as this will impact client entitlements and administrative processes. Compliance officers within Togolese public institutions must anticipate and prepare for the administrative adjustments required to align with the new unified social security system.

Source: Original reporting via Togolese government sources