Africa’s Insurance Leaders Champion AI, Execution and Digital Transformation at ITFN 2026

By Risper Atieno

Insurance leaders, technology experts, regulators, and financial sector executives from across Africa converged in Nairobi for the 5th edition of the InsurTech Forum Nairobi (ITFN) 2026, with a strong call for organisations to move beyond strategy formulation and focus on disciplined execution, measurable performance, and sustainable value creation.

Held under the theme “Execution Is Strategy: Prioritise. Execute. Measure.”, the two-day forum held on 18th and 19th July explored how insurers can transform strategic ambitions, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital investments into practical solutions that deliver better outcomes for customers, shareholders, and broader stakeholders.

Opening the forum, ITFN Convener and Caava Group Co-Founder and CEO, Ayisi Makatiani, emphasised that execution has become the defining competitive advantage today. While industries continue to generate bold ideas, he noted that lasting success depends on translating strategy into measurable business outcomes.

Makatiani also observed that technology alone cannot create value unless organisations align leadership, people, processes, governance, and organisational culture around clearly defined priorities.

Deloitte East Africa Partner Timothy Machira challenged insurers to evaluate success through meaningful business indicators such as profitability, customer retention, claims performance, customer lifetime value, and returns on technology investments.

He noted that AI, advanced analytics, automation, and integrated data platforms are enabling insurers to eliminate inefficiencies across underwriting, distribution, claims management, customer service, and internal operations.

Speaking during a leadership panel discussion, Apollo Investments Limited Group CEO Ashok Shah observed that Kenya’s insurance sector is entering a new era shaped by digitalisation, data intelligence, and artificial intelligence. He stressed that innovation should remain firmly anchored on improving user experiences and strengthening public trust.

ICEA Lion Group CEO Philip Lopokoiyit highlighted digital transformation as a major opportunity to expand insurance penetration across East Africa. He said insurers can leverage technology and data to develop more relevant products, enhance customer engagement, streamline claims processing, and improve operational efficiency.

Beyond insurance, the conversations reflected a broader shift taking place across Africa’s corporate landscape, where organisations are increasingly expected to demonstrate tangible returns from digital transformation rather than simply adopting new technologies.

The discussions also carried important lessons for the communications and publishing industry. As AI reshapes content creation, audience engagement, and newsroom workflows, media organisations are facing similar pressure to move beyond experimentation towards responsible implementation. Success will now depend on using data to understand audiences, personalise content, and improve operational efficiency. At the same time, maintaining editorial integrity, transparency, and public trust remains essential as AI adoption accelerates.

The forum concluded with discussions on performance measurement, growth strategies, execution excellence, and the ITFN 2026 AI Challenge, which showcased practical AI solutions designed to solve real business problems across the insurance value chain.

Risper is a research assistant at Free Press Publishers.