All Posts in "Day: June 7, 2021"

Orange Middle East Africa, AXA Assurance Maroc sign agreement for majority stake in DabaDoc

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

Orange Middle East and Africa and AXA CIMA entities led by AXA Assurance Maroc announce that an agreement has been signed on the joint acquisition of a majority stake in DabaDoc alongside the company’s founders.

DabaDoc, founded by Zineb Drissi-Kaitouni and Driss Drissi-Kaitouni in 2014, is a platform that digitalizes access to healthcare in Africa. DabaDoc has developed solutions that are used by thousands of healthcare professionals in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria

Orange and AXA’s investment and network will accelerate DabaDoc’s growth and extend DabaDoc’s services to other regions, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021.

Orange Middle East and Africa is thereby confirming its ambition to be the leading multi-services digital operator in the region. Through its partnership with DabaDoc and relying on AXA’s globally recognized expertise in healthcare, Orange is positioned as a key player in e-health.

Following its first investment in DabaDoc in 2018, AXA Assurance Maroc is once again consolidating its partnership with the company to accelerate the digitalization and integration of its customers’ healthcare journey, facilitating its policyholders’ interactions with healthcare professionals, notably via DabaDoc’s appointment booking and remote consultation infrastructure and network.

In cementing this tri-party partnership, DabaDoc will benefit from the broad experience of AXA, one of the global leaders in health insurance, and Orange’s technological expertise and payment solutions to enable digital solutions to be developed that rapidly scale and benefit patients and the entire African healthcare ecosystem.

Co-founder and CEO of DabaDoc, Zineb Drissi-Kaitounisaid: “DabaDoc, a leading health-tech platform in Africa, is supporting the digital transformation of healthcare professions. Orange’s investment in DabaDoc and AXA’s renewed investment will strengthen DabaDoc’s growth ambitions through Orange and AXA’s presence in Africa and the Middle East. The pandemic has strengthened our belief that the digitalization of healthcare services is essential and inevitable.”

Chief Executive Officer of Orange Middle East and Africa, Alioune Ndiaye said: “We are delighted to commit to this ambitious partnership with AXA and DabaDoc to serve the healthcare needs of everyone in Africa and the Middle East through digital technology

At Orange, we are convinced that the digital transformation is a source of progress and that e-health has huge potential. As a responsible operator on the continent, we want to contribute to this major social challenge, especially during a pandemic. The deployment of this type of solution in the countries where we are present will greatly facilitate populations’ access to healthcare services, which is essential to the continent’s development.”

Chief Executive Officer of AXA Assurance Maroc and AXA CIMA,   Meryem Chami said: “AXA is a global leader in health insurance and related services. This is one of the Group’s strategic priorities as part of the Driving Progress 2023 plan.

This ambition is even stronger as we are facing an unprecedented health crisis. Through this partnership, we therefore aim to enable patients to access a better healthcare journey in Morocco and to support DabaDoc through its development in the CIMA countries as well.”

Patoma Admin by — June 7, 2021 in Insurance 0
Naicom reaches out to tertiary institutions, state governors, parastatals

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

For insurance industry to be positioned where it should be, the National Insurance Commission, Naicom have reached out to tertiary institutions, parastatals and state governors to propagate insurance.

Naicom have visited a good number of tertiary and it is still counting. Some if the ones reached out to are
the Polytechnic of Ibadan, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa; Rufus Giwa Polythecnic, Owo; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida University; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Kaduna State University and Federal Polytechnic Nassawara.

A lot of institutions have been assisted, one of which was the College of Insurance and Financial Management. We have done that in so many other institutions – the Polytechnic of Ibadan , Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa, Rufus Giwa Polythecnic, Owo, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Bauchi, Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida University, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Kaduna State University and Federal Polytechnic Nassawara.”

“All these institutions have been assisted in the development of their programs that can impact positively on insurance.”

“Recently we engaged the Federal Road Safety Corps, Honourable Minister FCT and Honourable Minister of Transport and the Governor of Ekiti State in this light. We also engaged with the Fire Service given the importance of buildings”

“These are some of the engagements we have been having because we are determined to make a difference and this cannot be done except with the assistance of everyone (Journalists).”

At this point, he implored the industry to look more on the publicity budget,  “We want to encourage our operators to increase their budget for publicity”

Thomas added that as insurance remains one of the bedrocks of economy growth, people need to be aware of its importance to enable them maximize its benefits.

The CFI stated that continuous publicity is required to properly entrench insurance in the country.

He emphasised that insurance operators should make adequate budgetary provisions for creation of awareness on the enormous benefits derivable from insurance.

Thomas thanked nsurance journalists for their contributions and support to insurance growth through their reportage, whilst craving for more supports to enable the sector takes it rightful place in the economy.

Patoma Admin by — June 7, 2021 in Insurance 0
Insurance Policy System unfolding on Naicom Portal

By Favour Nnabugwu

The innovation going on the National Insurance Commission now are second to none, as the regulatory body has began to unfold Insurance Policy System

It is a system whereby all insurance companies will upload the policies from year 2016 to 2021. This allows policies by class by companies, that the regulator, Media, customer can check which policy is valid as each and every policy has a unique identification number. One check the total policies by individual or group.

The uniqueness of it is that if a policy is not valid, the it will not appear on the portal.

The Head of IT, NAICOM, Abiodun Aribike, while presenting a paper titled ‘NAICOM’s Digital Transformation, Progress So Far’ described digital transformation enforcing effectiveness, efficiency and cost reduction in the way things are done.

According to him, “This means replacing manuals with digital operation to ensure time-saving and encourage innovation”

Aribike said the commission had upgraded its portal to eradicate fake insurance and deepen insurance penetration.

He added that the commission would continue to upgrade its technology to meet with global trend in the industry.

He informed that insurance companies are cooperating with Naicom and have began to upload policies from 2016 into the portal.

He was sure that in the next two weeks, most of the policies would have substantially uploaded for clients, Journalists and anyone can check to confirm whether the policies they have are genuine or not.

Aribike also said insurance can submit their documents on the portal without having to come in person to Abuja, adding once their document are complete and cleared, they will see it there but where there is one or two things lacking, it will also reflect on the portal for companies to do the needful as well.

Renewal and licensing of certificate too, can also be done on the portal, a signed and sealed certificate can be printed out from the portal

Patoma Admin by — June 7, 2021 in Insurance 0
Naicom soon to unveil Customer Service Charter

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) will soon unveil Customer Service Charter to help service delivery, protection of trust and confidence in the industry.

NAICOM Head, Corporate Strategy and Special Duties Department, Mr Usman Jimada Jankara, announced the plan to unveil the charter at concluded 2021annual seminar for insurance journalists in Lagos last Friday.

The theme of the 2021 seminar was ’NAICOM Corporate Strategic Plan 2021 to 2023: Goals, Objectives and Key Deliverables.’

A customer service charter is a document that outlines how an organization promises to work with its customers along with providing insights into how an organization operates.

Customer service charters help organizations manage customer expectations regarding the delivery of products and services, standards of quality and conflict resolution

Jankara explained that the charter are practiced in Malaysia and Indonesia from which the Commission took a cue from

Naicom strategic plan, he said, was hinged on five goals including entrenching effective and efficient service delivery, ensuring safe, sound and stable insurance sector.

Other goals are to adequately protect policyholders and public interest, improve trust and confidence in the insurance sector, encourage innovation and promote insurance market development.

According to him, “The goals will consolidate the 2016 -2020 strategic plan with new milestones required to enable the commission accomplish its mission.”

Jankara noted that some of the commission’s 2016 to 2020 strategic plans were not achieved due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, among other factors .

“Our strategic plan has simplified what we will focus on and we are now more convinced that we will do much better this year.

Successful customer service charters typically implement the following principles:

* Explicit identification of the organization’s business goals and target audience.
Identifying channels of communication and contact.
*  Proper handling of customer service standards, customer rights and responsibilities.
* Taking past customer feedback and complaints into consideration.
Making sure that formatting and style are uniform.
* Formulating a response plan to customer concerns.
* Consistently monitoring, reviewing and updating as necessary.
* Holding staff accountable.

“We want to have a stable insurance industry to compete globally and contribute to the country’s economy,’’ he said.

Jankara said the plan would also ensure that policyholders’ complaints were handled better and promptly.

Patoma Admin by — June 7, 2021 in Insurance 0