[DIGITAL Business Africa] – Zenithe Insurance has launched Zen’App, a mobile platform developed over eight years to simplify insurance subscriptions and claims management. Backed by 100% Cameroonian capital, the company aims to leverage Mobile Money to expand an insurance market that has struggled to gain traction.
Online insurance subscriptions, assistance from Amanda, a virtual assistant, and fully digital claims reporting: Zenithe Insurance is banking on technology to reach new customer segments while maintaining its physical branch network and promoting a business model firmly rooted in the national economy. The insurer recently launched Zen’App, a mobile application designed to simplify insurance subscriptions and policy management.
In Cameroon, the low insurance penetration rate remains a major challenge for companies operating in the sector. Estimated at approximately 2% of the population, according to figures presented at the launch of Zen’App in Douala on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, this low rate illustrates the difficulties insurers face in extending coverage beyond their traditional customer base.
Long associated primarily with motor vehicles and large corporations, insurance has struggled to gain traction among young people. A study reportedly conducted across Cameroon’s eleven state universities found that insurance coverage among students was virtually nonexistent.
This is precisely the market Zenithe Insurance intends to tap into. With Zen’App, the company offers a digital customer journey that enables users to subscribe to selected insurance products, manage their policies, and report claims directly from their smartphones.
Developed in-house over eight years, the platform builds on the widespread adoption of Mobile Money services. Zenithe Insurance estimates that 15 million Cameroonians use these payment solutions, representing a substantial potential customer base.
A Business Model Rooted in the National Economy
Zenithe Insurance’s digital strategy is part of a broader positioning: a company that emphasises its entirely Cameroonian ownership and its commitment to reinvesting resources in the local economy.
The insurer maintains that premiums collected remain in Cameroon and help finance domestic economic activities.
“Zenithe is a company founded by Cameroonians. One hundred percent. I insist on that: 100%. Zenithe does not have even five CFA francs deposited outside the country. The premiums you pay remain here, and we reinvest them locally,” says Ndecham Chefon Martin Maxwell, the company’s Managing Director.
Among the investments highlighted is the construction of the company’s headquarters, valued at nearly CFAF 10 billion.
The company also participates in the regional financial market through the Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC), while contributing to the banking and productive sectors through fixed-term deposits in local banks and equity investments in public and private companies.
“Our ambition is to demonstrate that a local company can build world-class solutions while serving the real economy,” adds the company’s founder and Managing Director.
This economic commitment complements an innovation strategy that began long before Zen’App’s introduction.
Zenithe Insurance says it became the first insurer in the CIMA zone to embark on a comprehensive digital transformation in 2012.
In 2015, it introduced biometric cards to replace paper-based medical authorisation vouchers in partner hospitals and pharmacies.
A year later, the digitisation of public procurement guarantees reportedly reduced the time needed to obtain certain bid bonds to just two hours, compared with approximately one month through traditional banking channels.
Direct smartphone subscriptions were therefore intended to simplify procedures for SMEs and business executives bidding for public contracts.
Zen’App extends this approach by addressing another obstacle: access to insurance products and the simplicity of administrative procedures for individual customers.
Affordable Insurance Products, With Physical Branches Still Available
To expand its customer base, Zenithe Insurance is introducing digital insurance products at prices it describes as affordable.
Zen’App offers a portfolio of thirteen products, including six mass-market insurance solutions that customers can purchase and pay for entirely online: ZenAuto, ZenTrip, ZenStay, ZenVoyage, ZenFamille, and ZenHome.
One of the products highlighted is a personal accident insurance policy referred to as Moove Safe or Mov Safe, with the exact commercial name still to be confirmed.
Starting at CFAF 2,500 per year, the policy covers death, disability, and medical expenses, depending on the selected benefits, with insured amounts of up to CFAF 1 million.
The subscription process incorporates the Unique Identification Number (NIU), in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.
However, digital transformation does not mean eliminating human interaction.
Zenithe Insurance continues to operate branches across Cameroon’s ten regions, alongside its network of partner brokers, to assist customers who do not own smartphones or prefer face-to-face services.
“Zen’App offers a selection of mass-market insurance products with premium levels designed to be affordable for the majority of Cameroonians. While embracing modern technologies to enable customers to manage everything from home, our branches and partner brokers remain fully available to those who prefer personal interaction,” explains Wamal Guillaume, a representative of the Board of Directors.
Amanda, a Virtual Assistant Supporting the Customer Journey
Zen’App also promises to simplify the insurance process.
The application provides one-time password authentication sent to the user’s mobile phone, a bilingual interface in French and English, and insurance quotations generated in under two seconds, according to the company.
Amanda, the platform’s virtual assistant, guides users through preparing their insurance subscriptions.
To obtain a quotation, customers answer approximately six straightforward questions designed to identify their needs. They can then select their preferred coverage and proceed to electronically sign their insurance contracts.
The system also covers claims management.
Policyholders can report an accident online, attach photographs, and immediately receive a claims declaration certificate. They can subsequently monitor the various stages of the assessment process, which are synchronised with the company’s claims management system.
Claims compensation can also be paid through Orange Money or MTN Mobile Money, subject to applicable conditions.
The platform also provides a digital insurance certificate with a QR code, in accordance with the ASAC/CIMA interconnection directive, with an October 1 implementation date confirmed.
The certificate can be presented during roadside inspections, subject to applicable regulations.
Another feature addresses the challenges posed by unstable Internet connectivity.
Responses provided to Amanda are progressively saved. If a network interruption occurs, users can resume the subscription process without re-entering information already submitted once connectivity is restored.
Regarding information security, Zenithe Insurance holds ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management and ISO 27001:2013 certification for information security management.
“Every response provided to Amanda is saved in real time in our database. Even if the network goes down, users never have to restart the process. From obtaining a quotation to settling a claim through Mobile Money, everything has been designed to ensure a completely seamless and transparent customer experience,” explains CHE Vanessa, wife of Mboule Ijeoma, Head of the Project’s Technical Team.
Insurance Solutions Designed for Customers on Limited Budgets
To attract low- and middle-income earners, Zenithe Insurance has structured Zen’App around affordable digital micro-insurance products.
Its entry-level personal accident insurance product, Moove Safe, starts at CFAF 2,500 per year. It covers death, disability, and medical expenses, with insured benefits of up to CFAF 1 million.
The application features thirteen products, including six mass-market products available for online subscription and payment: ZenAuto, ZenTrip, ZenStay, ZenVoyage, ZenFamille, and ZenHome.
Subscriptions require a Unique Identification Number (NIU), enabling the insurer to authenticate policyholders, including residents and members of the Cameroonian diaspora, in compliance with CIMA territoriality rules.
Nevertheless, Zenithe Insurance is not abandoning face-to-face customer service.
Its branches across Cameroon’s ten regions and its network of partner brokers remain available to customers without smartphones and those who prefer in-person assistance.
The challenge now is to convert Cameroonians’ familiarity with mobile payments into actual insurance subscriptions and, over time, demonstrate the application’s ability to simplify and strengthen relationships between the insurer and its customers.
By Digital Business Africa
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