Kenya’s retirement income system received an overall C grade and a score of 53.1 in the 2026 Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index.
The country was one of three new systems added to the index, alongside the Dominican Republic and Qatar, raising the total number of assessed systems to 55 and covering more than 66 per cent of the world’s population.
The index evaluates retirement systems across adequacy, sustainability and integrity, and Kenya recorded 38.9 (D) for adequacy, 53.0 (C) for sustainability and 76.0 (B+) for integrity, producing the overall 53.1 (C) rating.
The B+ score for integrity indicates strong performance in governance, regulation, protection and communication, while the D rating for adequacy highlights challenges in ensuring sufficient retirement income.
The report notes that life expectancy at age 65 in Kenya has risen by 2.9 years since 1950, increasing pressure on retirement savings as people spend longer in retirement.
Inclusion in the index was facilitated by Octagon Africa through its strategic partner Alexforbes, which helped respond to the survey and provide data and insights on Kenya’s pension system.
“Kenya’s pension system continues to evolve, and the inclusion of the country into this index is an important benchmark to see where we stand and what needs to be done better. The findings allow us to have a more informed conversation about retirement adequacy, sustainability and the long-term financial security of Kenyans,” said Fred Waswa, Group CEO of Octagon Africa.
The Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index is now in its 18th edition, having expanded from 11 countries at its launch to 55 in 2026, and offers a comparative framework for assessing pension systems.
