At the InsurTech Forum Nairobi 2025, one message was clear: Africa’s insurance and health sectors are emerging as global leaders in applying AI responsibly and inclusively.
What was once seen as a futuristic vision is now a daily reality—health claims approved in minutes, AI tools detecting fraud before it occurs, and predictive analytics helping people stay healthier.
These innovations are not imported; they are powered by African data and infrastructure. As technology, regulation, and collaboration converge, Africa’s experience is offering lessons for other emerging regions.
With the continent's digital foundations and regulatory clarity to scale AI responsibly already established, the task now is to connect what exists—to turn data into shared intelligence that builds trust and delivers tangible value to customers, companies, and communities alike.
Globally, insurers are learning to scale AI responsibly. Whether in Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg or the Gulf, most are still moving from pilot projects to production. What distinguishes Africa is the quality of its groundwork. Over the past decade, steady investments in mobile connectivity, digital-policy systems and claims automation have created clean, structured, interoperable data—exactly what AI needs to thrive.
These digital rails are now maturing into intelligent systems. Routine tasks such as claims validation, reconciliation and compliance checks can be automated, freeing human expertise for underwriting, customer care and innovation.
Data that once sat in silos is being analysed in real time to improve pricing accuracy, reduce fraud and anticipate client needs. Efficiency has become a gateway to intelligence.
Strong governance underpins this transformation. Kenya’s 2019 Data Protection Act gives citizens the right to human review of automated decisions, while the African Union’s 2024 AI Strategy embeds transparency and accountability into policy across member states.
These frameworks give boards and regulators confidence to scale innovation safely, proving that Africa’s AI revolution is being built on responsibility as much as speed.
Early evidence already supports this confidence. Across markets, insurers adopting AI for claims and risk management are reporting measurable results—lower loss ratios, faster processing times, and higher customer satisfaction.
In Kenya and Nigeria, claims that once took weeks are now settled within hours. Staff once tied up in manual verification are being redeployed to client service and analytics. These are not isolated examples, but signs of a deeper structural shift in how the industry operates.
The same connected data and technology driving operational efficiency is also transforming the purpose of health insurance. By linking medical, behavioural and financial information securely, insurers and health partners move from paying for illness to investing in wellness.
In Kenya, health insurance is already managed in real-time, enabling insurers to design more personalised products, reach new market segments faster and operate with greater efficiency and profitability.
In Rwanda, predictive algorithms trained on antenatal-care data now flag high-risk pregnancies early, enabling targeted interventions that save lives.
In Uganda, image-analysis tools detect malaria parasites with expert-level precision, expanding diagnostic capacity in rural clinics. In South Africa, AI-powered wellness programmes guide members toward preventive habits, showing early evidence of major cost savings in chronic-disease management.
Across other emerging markets—from the Middle East to Southeast Asia—insurers are starting to adopt similar models, proving that connected data and responsible AI are becoming universal enablers of more resilient, customer-centred health systems.
AI will not replace Africa’s insurance systems; it will make them smarter. Africa’s story is no longer one of catching up—it is one of contributing to the global standard for how technology and governance can advance together to strengthen an industry and serve society.
Pieter Prickaerts is CEO of CarePay (m-Tiba in East Africa), a next gen health insurance platform and partner for insurers and TPAs to enter new segments and markets profitably.
Ayisi Makatiani is CEO and Co-Founder of Caava Group, an AI-driven InsurTech ecosystem that leverages connected data platforms to help insurers expand, digitise, and grow profitably across Africa.
