The Gabonese financial group Samb’a Finances Holding has taken a significant step towards launching its micro-insurance operations in Cameroon. On 4 September 2026, the company submitted an application for approval to the insurance directorate of Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance, seeking the green light for its subsidiary Samb’a Assurances Cameroun S.A.
Incorporated on 21 May 2026 in Douala, the subsidiary boasts a share capital of 615 million FCFA, held by 59 shareholders. Andrew Gwodog, the group’s founder, serves as chairman, with Barthélemy Zoua as managing director and Abel Blaise Ezo’o Engolo as independent director.
Samb’a Assurances Cameroun positions itself as the country’s first company exclusively focused on micro-insurance, a non-life insurance segment tailored for low-income populations. Premiums are expected to start at 3,500 FCFA per month.
To reach its target audience, the subsidiary plans to distribute products through Mobile Money platforms, microfinance institutions—with Financial House named 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 to the country: Activa Assurances introduced a product as early as 2015, followed by AXA, which received authorization in 2016. However, the sector has struggled to achieve significant scale in Cameroon, market observers note.
Samb’a Finances Holding initially launched its activities in Gabon on 18 September 2024, with an initial capital of 610 million FCFA, before embarking on this Cameroonian expansion.
