Never Waste a Good Crisis

The document examines how COVID-19 containment measures and the resulting economic crisis disrupted insurance operations, product cycles, and balance sheets across 18 sub-Saharan African markets. While the pandemic strained the sector and highlighted pre-existing weaknesses, it created a catalyst for forced digitisation and a regulatory imperative to remove barriers to innovation.

• COVID-19 containment measures disrupted the core operational capabilities of insurers in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically hindering the ability to launch products, secure new sales, collect premiums, and process claims due to a traditional reliance on physical engagement.
• The pandemic caused financial strain on insurance balance sheets through reduced premium and investment income, which is expected to lead to liquidity constraints.
• The crisis presents a strategic opportunity for the sector to accelerate digitisation, including remote customer on-boarding and increased operational efficiency, while prompting regulators to address barriers to innovation.

APA

FSD Africa (2025). Never Waste a Good Crisis. https://fsdafrica.org/publication/never-waste-a-good-crisis/

Chicago

FSD Africa. Never Waste a Good Crisis. 2025. https://fsdafrica.org/publication/never-waste-a-good-crisis/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=FSD Africa |title=Never Waste a Good Crisis |date=30 May 2025 |url=https://fsdafrica.org/publication/never-waste-a-good-crisis/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fsdafrica2025never, author = {{FSD Africa}}, title = {{Never Waste a Good Crisis}}, institution = {FSD Africa}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://fsdafrica.org/publication/never-waste-a-good-crisis/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }