General News
The Scramble for Africa Insurance Market. How beneficial?
That there is a vast market in the Nigeria’s insurance market is an understatement. While it could also be said that the big insurance companies have offices across selected states in Nigeria, it is difficult to find any of the insurance companies having offices in all the 36 states of the federation. Also, the large areas of unexplored businesses are enough to sustain any operator who chose to so dare. Yet, while these large business opportunities are waiting to be explored, Nigerian insurance companies have not relented in their scramble for Africa insurance market. Industry watchers have expressed concern over the fast rate at which these firms compete to deliver quality services to the detriment of local market is being pursued. Analysts say that the present level at which Nigeria insurers are rushing to the West Coast is alarming. At the last count, twelve insurance companies have opened subsidiaries in some African countries. Many more are on the verge of doing so.
Ordinarily, it is a thing of celebration for Nigerian insurance companies to be exporting insurance services to other countries. If for anything else, it would attract the much-needed foreign exchange to the country. However notwithstanding the beauty of this exercise, concerned industry watchers opined that it may not be healthy for the needed local penetration in Nigeria.
Their argument is hinged on the fact that some of these companies’ who are making waves in these African markets have not really established their foothold on the vast markets available in Nigeria.
Some see this as a mere ego trip while others tag it the scramble for the partition of African insurance market named after the historic partition of Africa.
Industry watchers believe that if the present scramble is not checked, Nigeria insurance companies may neglect the local market which needs full attention to rise to the level of the developed markets and accelerated development of foreign markets at the expense of the local one.
The question one may ask is, are some of the companies embarking on this scramble for African market well positioned for it? Of what benefit is a local insurer who has less than ten branches nationwide setting up subsidiaries in the West Coast?
According to concerned analysts, one of the main reasons why these companies are going abroad is because they want to meet the shareholders expectations.
They stated that some of these investors are so eager for a quick return on investments that waiting on the local market alone may not be enough to meet their demands.
Anther school of though believes that insurance is about risk taking so to some of these companies, there is need to explore any available opening anywhere whether for pure or speculative reasons.
At the moment, not less than 12 insurance companies have set up offices in the West Coast. Some have even gone as far as to the Far East and North African countries while more are exploring opportunities to join the band wagon train.
Out of the recapitalized insurance companies in Nigeria, a sizeable number have opened subsidiaries in Ghana, Liberia, Gambia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Tanzania, Sao Tome & Principe, Conakry, among others..
Analysts are of the opinion that the actions of these companies are merely borrowing a leaf from similar moves by banks soon after the consolidation of Nigerian banks. However, some hold the opinion that the banks on such ego trips have good reasons to do so, having already consolidated their branch networks before embarking on it.
Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) is one of Nigeria’s biggest insurers. While acknowledging the fact that it has done so well on the local scene, the insurance giant is reputed to now have so much presence on the global scene that it has almost become a household name. In 2005, IGI successfully acquired 60per cent government of Uganda’s stake in National Insurance Corporation, thus becoming the first insurance company in Nigeria to achieve continental outreach.
IGI also has 60per cent controlling shares in Network Assurance Limited, Ghana, 60per cent holding in Gamstar Insurance in Gambia.
In like manner, IGI became the largest shareholder with 35percetn equity holding in SONARWA S.A., Rwanda. It also has significant presence in Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
Mr. Anthony Aletor, group managing director of Capital Express Insurance, had said at a forum that insurance companies should strive towards a good mix of their revenue base. One of the approaches to this, he said, is found in subsidiary operations which off-shore investments provide.
Supporting the adventure, he had said that what it portends is similar to the action of European Countries in the past to scramble for the African market because of the obvious advantages they stood to gain.
His support for off-shore investment also found anchor in the pattern of such investments which are spread across the difficult regions. The argument therefore is that it would be difficult for the investments to be uniformly plagued by adverse effects especially against the backdrop of the different socio-political and economic factors.
Another company that has also shown significant presence off-shore is Continental Reinsurance. According to Mr. Adeyemo Adejumo, managing director of the Company, Continental Re which is based in Nairobi, Kenya, is positioned to serve as a reinsure to many other countries outside Kenya. These countries, he said are Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Sudan.
As earlier said, the need to meet the companies obligations to shareholders inform some of these actions Staco Insurance Companies is among the young and dynamic ones venturing into the West Coast with a significance presence in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Fidelis Ako, managing director of Trinity Consulting Group , in a reaction challenged the local insurers to research not ways of breaking the insurance poor penetration leveling Nigeria, rather than opening subsidiaries abroad. He argued that if the insurance culture in those countries providing gat traction to Nigeria is weak, no reasonable company would invest in them.
He particularly frowned at the situation where some of these countries are not as large as one stake in Nigeria. “The size of some of these countries are smaller than one state in Nigeria which goes to show that it is the culture put in place by the people, the operators and the government at large” he said. Rather than embarking on ego tripping. Ako advised stakeholders to individually and collectively research into how to raise the aware level such that it becomes a necessity for every Nigerian to have insurance policy.
Recently, NICON Insurance opened a subsidiary in Sao Tome and Principe. According to Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, group chairman, the venture into the tiny Island Country was born out of business boost .Industry watchers believe that one thing that seems to give added strength to this scramble is the poor exchange rate of the naira and the sliding economy. What do we stand to gain if our local insurers are becoming household names in other countries while they are not even known in many of the local government even in the major states of Nigeria. As the Nigerian insurance companies take us back to the legendary scramble for partition of Africa insurance markets, stakeholders are watching with keen interest to know how the action will benefit the nation’s fragile market.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has sought to harness the innovation and expertise of Nigerians across the globe with the launch of the Connected Diaspora x DOWA Start-Up Challenge and the Connected Diaspora Flagship Event 2025.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, described the initiatives as timely and transformative, noting that they are strategically designed to tap into the creativity, enterprise and professional strength of Nigerians in the diaspora.
She said the Start-Up Challenge, themed “Building, Breaking and Believing in Nigeria,” aims to energise innovators abroad by promoting knowledge transfer, enterprise development and strategic investment to support Nigeria’s rapidly expanding economy.
According to a statement by NiDCOM, the challenge, which offers cash prizes of up to ₦1 million, is targeted at spotlighting exceptional ideas and supporting impactful ventures created by Nigerians living overseas.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s overarching goal of engaging the diaspora community as key partners in national progress.
She further announced that the Connected Diaspora Flagship Event will take place on December 19, 2025, in Lagos, and will bring together entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, technology leaders and strategic partners for critical discussions on Nigeria’s future.
Kadiri Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, will serve as the Special Guest of Honour and is expected to speak on the importance of collaboration between government and the diaspora in accelerating development.
NiDCOM also revealed that notable contributors from the global diaspora community and Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem will enrich the sessions and help shape new pathways for meaningful engagement.
Dabiri-Erewa said their support remains invaluable in driving the success of the initiative. She emphasized that their continued collaboration helps unlock the potential of Nigeria’s global talent pool and fosters sustainable economic growth.
The Commission called on stakeholders across both the public and private sectors to support the initiative, stressing that the opportunities for innovation, collaboration and nation-building are immense.
NiDCOM urged young Nigerians and diaspora returnees to participate actively in the Start-Up Challenge, reminding them that entries close on December 12, 2025.
The December event will also feature a Diaspora Talent Career and Internship Fair, aimed at connecting diaspora returnees with internship opportunities offered by DOWA partner organisations.
NiDCOM said the fair will further strengthen talent exchange and deepen the country’s development capacity.
The programme timeline includes the opening of applications for the Start-Up Challenge from November 18 to December 12, followed by public voting on Instagram from December 13 to 17.
The winner will be announced on December 18, ahead of the final presentation at the JK Randle Centre in Lagos on December 19.
NiDCOM encouraged interested participants to follow the provided registration details and take advantage of the platform created to connect, innovate and contribute to national advancement.
Indigenous printing company, PromoPrint Ventures Ltd, celebrated 25 years of operations in the country on Tuesday 2nd December, at an event held at the Lagos Motor Boat Club in Lagos.
The evening saw business executives, clients and stakeholders in the printing space gathered to attest to the dexterity and Nigerian resilience demonstrated by Mrs. Patricia Ojora, the Founder and Chief Executive of the company in sustaining the growth of PromoPrint over the last 25 years.
Amongst many things on display that evening were PromoPrints very first t-shirt printed in the year 2000. Guests also cheerfully adorned custom-made patterns done by Promoprint on our indigenous cotton fabric (Funtau).
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Patricia Ojora recalled the past 25 years of operation in Nigeria at the helm of PromoPrint. While not easy, she says:
“We’ve been able to do it and we enjoy it. There’s nothing better than creation. To create something from nothing and do it so well, it’s a passion for me. It’s something that I really, value. I’m a great supporter of Nigeria, so I believe that we should be able to do things well in Nigeria. We don’t need to always import, that’s why we’re doing this today, to be able to collaborate with people. Most of the people here are people we’ve collaborated with and have worked hard to build Nigeria back up”.
She recounts how she was able to change the narrative of many Nigerians that were printing outside of the country who are now printing with PromoPrint Ventures. “People used to print outside the country because they didn’t trust the quality that was here in Nigeria,” Patricia explains with an understanding that “we can produce good quality here within Nigeria.”
The company is a one-stop shop for all things printing with all operations happening in-house, from the expertise of crafting graphics and garment production to the t-shirts, roller banners, corporate gifts and more being rolled out on a daily basis. “What we are selling is peace of mind in a chaotic place.” Patricia says, with nearly three decades of successful operations and collaboration under her belt.
Significantly, she makes sure the company remains primed for the future, using AI and the like to remain progressive in strategy and implementation. Patricia proudly states, “Our automated printing carousel can churn out 10,000 tees a day if needed and our many corporate clients can attest to this.”
In attendance was Atedo Peterside (CON), Founder, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, one of many guests in the room who spoke to PromoPrints impact. “There’s something about longevity,” he shares with the crowd, “If you’ve kept the business going for 10 years, I always tell people, it means you’re doing something right. If you get it going for 20 years, you’re doing something very correct. Patricia must be doing something phenomenally right and it’s my sincere hope that she keeps it going, keep building, keep innovating.”
“Patricia can create almost everything,” Peterside remarks, “she has the courage, audacity and the commitment.”
Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Nigerian businesswoman and the first female Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria, contextualises the tenacity of Patricia’s efforts rather well. She reminds the room that “when you think of how many big multinationals who have so much that protects them, who have a lot of support systems internationally and locally, who gave up on Nigerian manufacturing, then you have to go back and think about those of us like Patricia.”
Even after 25 years, Nigeria remains in need of more Entrepreneurs, particularly those like Patricia, to boost the SME and manufacturing industry in the country despite the odds. “She didn’t give up,” Awosika says in admiration.
“What is key is that, when we celebrate the likes of Patricia and her company, we know without a doubt that it’s not just because they want to have a celebration. It’s because, in truth, the Nigerian entrepreneur is a star, and even more so, the Nigerian manufacturer.” Awosika concludes.
So, we celebrate Mrs. Ojora and her PPV entire team, and all that has gone into 25 years of hard work, commitment, creativity, we also recognise the passion that does not allow you to give up on the vision, the commitment to not only creating jobs for other Nigerians but creating value within Nigeria. The commitment to innovating a solution for every challenge and every situation. Indeed, it was a worthy celebration.
Mr. Lanre Basamta, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Optimus AI LABS, has unveiled a suite of artificial intelligence innovations poised to transform Nigeria’s financial services industry, aligning with recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directives on consumer protection and fraud prevention.
Mr. Lanre Basamta, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Optimus AI LABS
Basamta, speaking at a media parley in Lagos, said the company’s flagship product, Omnis, is redefining customer engagement in banking by serving as a virtual assistant embedded within mobile applications.
According to him, the platform is capable of analyzing customer behavior to recommend tailored financial products, effectively functioning as a “digital salesperson” that boosts bank revenues while enhancing customer experience.
He noted that Optimus AI LABS, which began as a modest startup targeting small businesses such as schools, has now identified greater opportunities in serving banks, fintechs, and microfinance institutions.
“The financial sector presents the biggest opportunity for AI to deliver value at scale,” Basamta said.
In response to rising fraud concerns and new CBN regulations mandating resolution of fraud cases within 14 days, Basamta highlighted the company’s AI-powered support platform designed to address customer frustrations over delayed assistance.
The system, he explained, interacts naturally with users, resolves issues promptly, and escalates unresolved cases, thereby strengthening compliance and improving customer satisfaction.
Basamta also recounted the firm’s global expansion, citing its work with Canadian clients, including the development of a dental learning environment for a major dental group.
He said this international footprint demonstrates Nigeria’s capacity to compete globally through homegrown innovation.
Reflecting on the company’s relocation into office space formerly occupied by KUDA, a fast-rising Nigerian fintech, Basamta expressed optimism that Optimus AI LABS is on a similar trajectory toward scaling into a major industry player.
He emphasized that the company’s growth would contribute not only to technological advancement but also to national development.
Basamta concluded by appreciating partners and stakeholders, stressing that “big things can emerge from small beginnings when powered by AI’s transformative capabilities.”
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