Burkinabè insurer the National Insurance and Reinsurance Company (SONAR ASSURANCE) has finalized a partnership agreement with mobile financial services provider Orange Money Burkina Faso to digitize its insurance distribution channels and premium collection workflows.
Signed in Ouagadougou on Friday, September 18, 2026, the partnership allows policyholders to subscribe to insurance products, settle recurring premium payments, and query contract details directly through their mobile devices without visiting physical branch locations.
Expanding Reach Through Mobile Money Networks
The collaboration addresses historical distribution and access barriers within the West African insurance market, where low physical branch density and complex administrative procedures have limited formal insurance coverage.
By integrating into Orange Money’s financial rails, SONAR ASSURANCE gains direct access to a distribution network featuring approximately 100,000 active points of sale across urban and rural Burkina Faso.
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Streamlined Onboarding: Customers can initiate policy subscriptions and manage claims inquiries using mobile interfaces.
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Premium Settlement: Policyholders can process automated micro-payments and premium renewals using mobile wallets.
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Operational Scale: Orange Money Burkina Faso CEO Christophe Yikirega Baziémo noted that the expansive agent network provides a scalable distribution footprint beyond traditional insurance brokerages.
Redefining the Customer Journey in Francophone West Africa
Following a technical pre-testing phase to validate transaction routing and API integration, the agreement formalizes a shared effort to increase financial inclusion and insurance penetration across the country.
Thomas Zongo, CEO of SONAR ASSURANCE, emphasized that digital transformation in the insurance sector must extend beyond simply digitizing manual paperwork. He noted that the partnership aims to redesign the entire customer journey, replacing cumbersome administrative processes with a accessible, mobile-first experience.
The partnership reflects a growing trend across the WAEMU region, where insurance underwriters are increasingly leveraging mobile money operators to build low-cost, decentralized distribution channels for micro-insurance and retail financial products.
