In anticipation of the opening this Monday, July 6, of the General States of Insurance in Cotonou, we present the message from Mamadou G.K. Koné, President of the African National Insurance Companies Federation (FANAF).
Every morning, millions of African families wake up without a real safety net. An accident, an illness, a drought, a flood can, in a few hours, destroy years of efforts and change a life.
This reality is no longer acceptable.
Africa represents nearly 19% of the world’s population, but less than 1% of insurance premiums issued worldwide. Behind this contrast lie millions of women, men, young people, farmers, entrepreneurs, and families who remain exposed to risks that could permanently compromise their future.
However, solutions exist. Across the continent, innovative initiatives demonstrate that it is possible to design protection mechanisms adapted to African realities. The challenge is no longer to prove the relevance of inclusive insurance. We are all convinced of this. The real issue now is to deploy it on a large scale.
This is the purpose of the General States of Insurance for All organized by FANAF. Our ambition is clear: to develop a common vision, mobilize all stakeholders – public authorities, insurers, reinsurers, regulators, technical and financial partners, civil society – and achieve the adoption of the first Pan-African Pact for insurance inclusion.
This Pact must be more than just a reference document. It must constitute a collective commitment to a more resilient, inclusive, and better-protected Africa against risks.
Today, we have the opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of African insurance. Together, let’s make insurance inclusion not just an ambition, but a reality for all Africans. I invite you to be actors in this.
