Pay and rights at work · 5 min read
NAPSA partial withdrawal 2026: who can claim the 20 percent and how to claim online
You qualify with 60 months of contributions, or at age 45 and over. It's one claim only, it's done online on iCARE, and it lowers your later pension.
You can claim 20% of your NAPSA contributions before you retire if you've made at least 60 monthly contributions, whatever your age, or if you're 45 or older, however many contributions you've made. You can only claim once. NAPSA says all claims are done online through icare.napsa.co.zm and you don't need to visit an office. You don't need an agent either, so don't pay anyone to do this for you. Before you claim, understand that it reduces the pension you'll get later.
Do you qualify?
NAPSA calls this the pre-retirement lump sum, and most people call it partial withdrawal. It began in April 2023, and the new National Pension Scheme Act No. 72 of 2026 keeps it in section 34. NAPSA says that Act is in force through Statutory Instrument 62 of 2026.
- You have 60 monthly contributions, at any age before retirement, or
- You're 45 or older, with any number of contributions
- You're below 65, as section 34 of the Act says
- You consent in writing, as the Act requires
- You haven't claimed it before
How much will you get?
NAPSA says 20% of total contributions, with each contribution indexed and interest added. The Act says 20% of the indexed monthly contributions and the accrued interest. We've read total contributions to mean your share and your employer's together. Your iCARE record is what counts, so check your own number there.
Here's a rough sum to help you plan. It's before indexing and interest, and it assumes your pay never changed.
You pay K400 a month and your employer pays K400 = K800 K800 x 60 months = K48,000 20% of K48,000 = K9,600 Indexing and interest are added on top of K9,600
Indexing and interest can matter a lot. NAPSA reported K10.1 billion paid to 487,389 members since April 2023, in a release whose latest date is December 2024. Of that, K6 billion was raw contributions and K4.1 billion was indexing and interest.
How to claim online
NAPSA's page says what you need and where to go. Its portal blocked our automated visit, so we couldn't check the screens one by one. Follow what the portal shows you.
- Check that your phone number is correctly registered in your own name. NAPSA suggests checking your mobile money registration with your provider.
- Scan or photograph both sides of your NRC into one single document.
- Get a passport size photo less than 6 months old.
- Sign up on icare.napsa.co.zm with those three things.
- Check your record and your contributions, then make your claim there.
A wrong phone registration is the first thing to fix, because NAPSA names it as a requirement. Stuck? Call NAPSA on 677 or email [email protected].
What it costs you later
NAPSA's own answer to whether a lump sum reduces your pension is yes. Section 36 of the Act says your later benefit is based on what's left plus what you pay in afterwards, and by claiming you consent to that reduction. A minimum pension still applies, but it's lower for you. Section 36(3) sets it at 80% of the normal minimum if you took the 20%, and 70% if you took both lump sums. NAPSA gives the normal minimum as K2,327 a month in 2026. By our arithmetic, that makes K1,861.60 and K1,628.90.
It also shrinks a second lump sum. The new Act lets you take 30% in the three months before retirement. If you've already taken the 20%, the rate on your earlier contributions falls to 10%. Contributions you make after the 20% claim still count at 30%, under section 35(2).
So it's a real trade. NAPSA says members have put the money into housing, poultry businesses, trade, government bonds and treasury bills. You're the one who decides, and you can't undo it, so read your iCARE record first.
Don't pay anyone to claim for you
NAPSA's process is online and it names no agent. Never give anyone your iCARE login, a one-time code or your NRC copy to claim on your behalf. If someone promises a faster claim for a fee, that's a warning sign. Ask NAPSA directly through its own contact details, or use our scam check if the offer is tied to a job.
Sources and further reading
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Frequently asked questions
Can I claim the 20% twice?
No. NAPSA says it's one-off: once you claim, you can't claim again.
I'm 46 and only just started paying NAPSA. Can I claim?
Yes, if you're 45 or above the number of contributions doesn't matter. But your 20% will be small, because it's based on what's been paid in.
Do I have to leave my job to claim?
NAPSA's rule doesn't ask for that. Its criteria are months of contributions or age, and the benefit is claimed before retirement. You keep contributing after you claim.
Is the partial withdrawal taxed?
We couldn't confirm this on an official page. Ask ZRA or NAPSA before you rely on a figure.