PenCom launches non-interest fund for pension contributors

 

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has introduced a non-interest fund for contributors.

 

The new fund will be for contributors who prefer investments in non-interest money and capital market products.

 

In a statement published on its website on Thursday, the commission said the non-interest fund offers a viable alternative to the conventional interest-based financial instruments for pension funds investment.

 

PenCom said the non-interest fund, better known as fund VI, complies with the provisions of Islamic commercial jurisprudence and any other established non-interest principles.

The commission also said it had issued an operational framework for the fund.

 

“This is in furtherance of the implementation of the Multi-Fund Investment Structure, which seeks to provide investment portfolio choices to pension contributors and retirees,” the statement reads.

 

According to the statement, the Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE) has certified that the operational framework issued by the commission complies with non-interest (Shari’ah) finance principles.

PenCom further directed pension fund administrators (PFAs) to create and maintain the non-interest fund (Fund VI) for interested retirement savings account (RSA) holders.

 

It said that the non-interest fund would be separated into two funds for Active RSA holders and retirees, respectively.

 

“RSA holders in Fund I, II, III and retirees in Fund IV are eligible to move their RSA contributions to the Non-Interest Fund (Fund VI) by making a formal request to the PFA, in line with the provisions of the RSA Multi-fund Implementation Guidelines and Section 7.6 of the Investment Regulation dealing with Transfers between Fund Types within a PFA,” the statement adds.

 

PenCom directed contributors to access more information on its website and PFAs.