Heirs Insurance Group has received the Africa Sustainable Futures Award for its use of digital technology to extend insurance coverage to underserved communities in Nigeria, highlighting the growing role of technology in widening access to financial protection.
The award, presented at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Africa Summit in London, was organised by the Financial Times in partnership with the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
The Nigerian insurance group won in the Critical Infrastructure (Non-Energy) category.
According to the Group, its technology-driven initiatives have extended insurance access to more than three million people, using artificial intelligence, mobile applications, USSD services and digital distribution channels to reach populations historically excluded from formal insurance services.
At the centre of the initiative is Prince AI, described by the Group as Nigeria’s first multilingual generative artificial intelligence insurance assistant. The platform uses multilingual capabilities, with a focus on local languages, to make insurance products and services easier for Nigerians to understand and access.
The initiative combines the AI assistant with the Group’s USSD platform, mobile application and digital and bancassurance distribution channels to reduce barriers that have limited insurance adoption among individuals and businesses.
Heirs Insurance Group said its approach also prioritises customer trust and service delivery, including a commitment to settle validated claims within 48 hours. The Group said the pledge is intended to provide individuals, families and businesses with a dependable source of financial support when unexpected events disrupt their finances.
Commenting on the award, Niyi Onifade, managing director and chief executive officer of Heirs Life Assurance, said the recognition validated the Group’s efforts to make insurance more accessible and reliable.
“This award is a powerful validation of our commitment to making insurance simple, accessible and reliable for every Nigerian. For too long, millions of people have remained outside the formal insurance ecosystem, leaving them vulnerable to financial uncertainty. We are using technology to help change that reality,” Onifade said.
He added that combining artificial intelligence, multilingual capabilities and customer-focused distribution was helping the Group address longstanding barriers to insurance adoption.
“Our mission is to demonstrate that inclusive insurance can be delivered at scale without compromising the quality of the customer experience,” he said.
The Critical Infrastructure (Non-Energy) category recognises private-sector initiatives that strengthen essential infrastructure and improve livelihoods through sustainable and scalable solutions. The award places digital financial services within the broader effort to expand access to essential services and improve economic resilience.
Heirs Insurance Group said the award reinforces its commitment to increasing participation in the formal insurance market and using technology to strengthen financial resilience among individuals and businesses.
