Cenfri has deep insurance expertise from working with the insurance markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Insurance penetration in these markets is often low and we understand the need for responsible market innovation so that insurance fulfils its optimal role in building resilience, supporting business growth, and contributing to broader policy and development objectives.
The breadth of Cenfri’s insurance and resilience work spans diagnostic studies, development of global and regional standards and national regulations, technical assistance and innovation support (to regulators and the private sector), innovation studies, MSME-tailored resilience solutions, improved risk management in response to climate-related events, and definitive work on cell captives.
Our partners include GIZ, Access to Insurance Initiative (A2ii), the UK’s FCDO (formerly DFID), the FSD Africa and other financial sector deepening trusts, the Swiss Capacity Building Fund, FSCA, Hollard, Santam, Old Mutual, AXA, Britam, Generali, the Microinsurance Network, UNCDF, UNDP, The World Bank, IFC, IADB and ADB.
Very little has changed in the Ethiopian insurance industry over the last fifteen years but there is a potential silver lining: a few fundamental changes are setting the scene for potentially dramatic shifts in the financial and insurance sector. In 2008, I was excited to make my first trip to
Gakere is a 49-year-old mechanic from Nairobi, and like 77% of adults in Kenya, he does not have National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) or private health insurance. “If I fall sick, I treat myself. As you can see I do very strenuous jobs and someone who does not have good
To support regulatory authorities in sub-Saharan Africa in promoting inclusive insurance market development, there is a need to strike a balance between innovation and the accompanying risks that arise. FSD Africa set up the Risk, Resilience and Regulatory Lab (R3Lab) as a platform for capacity-building and peer exchange to assist regulators deliver on
Despite the best efforts of sub-Saharan African (SSA) insurers, most African citizens and small businesses do not yet have insurance. Our recent research in eight countries – Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Malawi – shows that more than two-thirds of these populations remain without any form of
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Egypt Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a fundamental role in the Egyptian economy – they drive more than 80% of GDP growth and 40% of total employment – but they face considerable risks that hinder their ability to thrive. Insurance could bolster
Opportunities await insurers and tech providers who are willing to work together Insurance is a key tool that provides businesses with protection and resilience against risks and that enables them to better bounce back from shocks experienced. However – despite its potential positive impact – micro, small and medium enterprises
About the Insurance Innovation Dialogue To support insurance regulatory authorities in sub-Saharan Africa strike a balance between innovation and risk, FSD Africa set up the R3LAb as a platform for capacity building and peer exchange among regulators. In this process, FSD Africa partnered with Cenfri to conduct a study that
Importance of insurance amplified by COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes one of the largest recent shocks to the African continent and has amplified the importance of the insurance sector’s role in development and supporting the resilience of businesses and individuals. Insurance can help manage risks and transfer funds to
Insurers can partner with digital platforms, lenders and insurance aggregators to offer better products that matter for MSMEs. Despite being heavily underfinanced, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are critical drivers of economic growth and contribute substantially to employment and innovation. They account for 50% of global employment and 90%
A changing climate affects everyone, but it’s the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, predominantly women and girls, who bear the brunt of environmental, economic and social shocks (IPCC, 2022a). For example, figures from the United Nations show that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women (Halton, 2018). There
Very little has changed in the Ethiopian insurance industry over the last fifteen years but there is a potential silver lining: a few fundamental changes are setting the scene for potentially dramatic shifts in the financial and insurance sector. In 2008, I was excited to make my first trip to
Gakere is a 49-year-old mechanic from Nairobi, and like 77% of adults in Kenya, he does not have National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) or private health insurance. “If I fall sick, I treat myself. As you can see I do very strenuous jobs and someone who does not have good
To support regulatory authorities in sub-Saharan Africa in promoting inclusive insurance market development, there is a need to strike a balance between innovation and the accompanying risks that arise. FSD Africa set up the Risk, Resilience and Regulatory Lab (R3Lab) as a platform for capacity-building and peer exchange to assist regulators deliver on
Despite the best efforts of sub-Saharan African (SSA) insurers, most African citizens and small businesses do not yet have insurance. Our recent research in eight countries – Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Malawi – shows that more than two-thirds of these populations remain without any form of
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Egypt Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a fundamental role in the Egyptian economy – they drive more than 80% of GDP growth and 40% of total employment – but they face considerable risks that hinder their ability to thrive. Insurance could bolster
Opportunities await insurers and tech providers who are willing to work together Insurance is a key tool that provides businesses with protection and resilience against risks and that enables them to better bounce back from shocks experienced. However – despite its potential positive impact – micro, small and medium enterprises
About the Insurance Innovation Dialogue To support insurance regulatory authorities in sub-Saharan Africa strike a balance between innovation and risk, FSD Africa set up the R3LAb as a platform for capacity building and peer exchange among regulators. In this process, FSD Africa partnered with Cenfri to conduct a study that
Importance of insurance amplified by COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes one of the largest recent shocks to the African continent and has amplified the importance of the insurance sector’s role in development and supporting the resilience of businesses and individuals. Insurance can help manage risks and transfer funds to
Insurers can partner with digital platforms, lenders and insurance aggregators to offer better products that matter for MSMEs. Despite being heavily underfinanced, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are critical drivers of economic growth and contribute substantially to employment and innovation. They account for 50% of global employment and 90%
A changing climate affects everyone, but it’s the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, predominantly women and girls, who bear the brunt of environmental, economic and social shocks (IPCC, 2022a). For example, figures from the United Nations show that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women (Halton, 2018). There
