E-Financial
Heirs Insurance Group Launches Mobile App, Chatbot, USSD Channels
Insurance companies, Heirs General Insurance (HGI) and Heirs Life Assurance (HLA), subsidiaries of Heirs Holdings, launched multiple digital channels, making insurance transactions easier for customers, and simplifying access to insurance for all Nigerians.
The mobile and digital channels include a chatbot named Prince, which instantly resolves customer’s inquiries, a USSD channel *1100# for Heirs Life, and mobile apps – Simple Life by Heirs Life Assurance and Simple Protect by Heirs General Insurance, both also available on the web.
Living up to the Group’s ‘Simple Life’ promise, the products demonstrate the company’s promise of superior value to customers, and quick and accessible service, while driving financial inclusion for everyone.
These channels directly tackle the challenge of low insurance penetration across Nigeria, opening the industry to new customers, who require protection for their assets and financial security for their loved ones.
Using mobile and web apps called Simple Life and Simple Protect respectively, customers can open new policies, manage existing policies, file claims, and get instant support, right from their phones at any time of the day, without visiting an office or speaking to an agent.
With the chatbot, Prince, customers get instant, personalised insurance service virtually, twenty-four hours a day. In today’s fast-paced world, Prince enables seamless and effortless service for existing and potential customers of Heirs General Insurance and Heirs Life.
Heirs Life unveiled its USSD code *1100# to deepen insurance penetration.
The USSD will allow Heirs Life to reach millions of customers in need of savings and life insurance plans, expanding its reach to remote areas traditionally excluded from financial services.
The USSD code also provides faster access for existing customers to manage their policies.
Speaking on the launch, Ifesinachi Okpagu, Chief Marketing Officer, of Heirs Insurance Group, said: “Our customers are at the heart of our business.
At Heirs General Insurance and Heirs Life, we are committed to driving inclusion across the country. We believe every Nigerian deserves a backup in times of need and with these new channels, we are assuring customers of coverage as they go about their daily lives. The simple life is here.”
Heirs General Insurance (non-life insurer) and Heirs Life Assurance (specialist life office) are the insurance subsidiaries of Heirs Holdings, a pan-African investment group, with a portfolio in 24 countries and four continents.
Both companies serve hundreds of thousands of customers in the retail and corporate segments across Nigeria through a hybrid approach – a rapidly expanding physical footprint and an omnichannel digital presence.
Heirs Insurance Group is leading the digital insurance play in Nigeria through their platform for partnership and insurance re-distribution, InConnect, amongst other insurtech-driven initiatives.
On a mission to democratise access to insurance by providing simple, quick, reliable, and accessible insurance to individuals and organisations, Heirs General Insurance and Heirs Life Assurance are championing financial inclusion across the country, partnering with global organisations, including the United Bank for Africa Plc, to make insurance accessible to everyone.
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has said that it has obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 microfinance and primary mortgage banks whose licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in May 2023.
Bello Hassa, managing director, NDIC, stated this at a sensitisation seminar for Judges of the Federal High Court in Lagos organised by the NDIC, to enlighten the judiciary on the intricacies of the banking industry.
Hassan said, “As at date, the Corporation had obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 Micro Finance and Primary Mortgage Banks whose licenses were revoked by the CBN in May 2023, in less than one Year of revocation.”
He added that the NDIC was committed to fulfilling its mandate of protecting depositors through bank supervision, failure resolution and liquidation so as to boost confidence in the financial system.
Speaking on the role that the judiciary plays in the fulfillment of the mandate, Hassan said, “We recognise the judiciary as one of our critical stakeholders. With this, when cases are brought before them, they can receive accelerated hearing and proclamation of Justice.”
Citing some of the achievements from previous editions of the seminar, Hassan said that instances where liquidation-related litigations experienced delays were reduced.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has withdrawn its earlier circular directing financial institutions to implement the national 0.5 per cent cyber security levy after the policy was largely resisted.
The withdrawal of the circular was announced via a statement signed by Haruna Mustafa, director, Financial Policy and Regulation, Department and Chibuzo Efobi, director, Payment System Management Department.
The apex bank confirmed the suspension in a circular issued on May 17, 2024 with reference number PSMD/DIR/PUB/LAB/017/005 addressed to commercial banks, mobile money operators, and other financial institutions.
In an earlier circular issued on May 6, 2024 with reference PSMD/DIR/PUB/LAB/017/004, the bank mandated financial institutions to charge a 0.5 per cent levy on all electronic transactions.
President Bola Tinubu last week ordered the suspension of the National Cybersecurity levy.
The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has called for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidance and collaboration in harmonising the peer-to-peer forex sector in the country.
At an official courtesy visit to the newly appointed SEC Director-General, Dr. Timi Agama, the President of Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, who congratulated the SEC D-G on his appointment, observed that SEC regulates the sector that continues to threaten the existence of BDCs in Nigeria through online virtual transactions platforms which give access to millions of Nigerians to trade in foreign exchange without trace and accountability.
He also explained that ABCON has invested in requisite technology to ensure the continued existence of the business and the preservation of the integrity of the sub-sector, stressing that the future of BDC’s business was digital currency. The ABCON boss said that the meeting with the SEC DG and his executive board was a follow up to an earlier online virtual consultation.
Gwadabe explained that ABCON, the umbrella body for all licensed retail foreign exchange dealers, was established in 1991 to liaise with regulators, relevant stakeholders and security agencies for a transparent retail end forex market.
Gwadabe said: “As at today, there are over 34 million Nigerians dealing in digital currency and the number is rising by about nine percent with a huge market of $9 billion annually. There are thousands of multichannel virtual currency FX platforms and none is indigenous to Nigeria, adding that P2P represents individual-to-individual transaction.
“To automate the entire foreign exchange retail market, ABCON has partnered with the Commodities Exchange Board in building the platform knowing that they have sources of foreign exchange. ABCON is willing to work with SEC towards achieving full automation of the retail end of the foreign exchange market in Nigeria.
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