Samb’a Finances Holding seeks Cameroon licence for micro-insurance arm

The Gabonese group Samb’a Finances Holding submitted an application on 4 September 2026 to the insurance directorate of Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance, seeking approval to launch operations of its subsidiary Samb’a Assurances Cameroun S.A., which will focus exclusively on micro-insurance.

Incorporated on 21 May 2026 in Douala, the subsidiary has a share capital of 615 million FCFA distributed among 59 shareholders. Andrew Gwodog, the group’s founder, serves as chairman, while Barthélemy Zoua holds the position of managing director and Abel Blaise Ezo’o Engolo acts as independent director.

Samb’a Assurances Cameroun describes itself as the country’s first company entirely dedicated to micro-insurance, a non-life insurance segment aimed at low-income populations. Premiums will start at 3,500 FCFA per month.

To reach its target customers, the subsidiary plans to distribute its products through Mobile Money, microfinance institutions – with Financial House cited as a key partner – and community networks.

A market still in its infancy in Cameroon

Cameroon’s insurance market generated 288.7 billion FCFA in premiums in 2024, up from 274.6 billion in 2023, according to regional economic press reports. Micro-insurance is not entirely new in the country: Activa Assurances introduced a product as early as 2015, followed by AXA, which received authorisation in 2016. However, the sector has struggled to achieve meaningful scale in Cameroon, market observers note.

Samb’a Finances Holding began its operations in Gabon on 18 September 2024 with an initial capital of 610 million FCFA, before embarking on this expansion into Cameroon.