Gabon-based SAMB'A Assurances, a pioneer in microinsurance in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), has made a step closer to going public on the Bourse des Valeurs Mobilieres d'Afrique Centrale (BVMAC).
The company has appointed a lead arranger and manager for its initial public offer (IPO).
The intention to go public reflects SAMB’A’s aim to strengthen its financial position, support growth, and expand access to microinsurance across the region. The goals include the launch of a subsidiary in Cameroon and further outreach to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In June 2025, SAMB’A said it was planning to expand to Cameroon and the DRC. It also announced then that it would undertake a fundraising exercise through a public offering in 2026, which is aimed at increasing the company’s share capital by FCFA3bn ($5.4m) through the issue of 300,000 new shares. The insurer started operations with a share capital of FCFA610m.
SAMB’A is the first insurer in the region to target low-income households with affordable, digitalised insurance solutions.
The IPO has been approved by the regional insurance regulator Inter-African Conference on Insurance Markets (CIMA) and Gabon’s Ministry of Economy.
With only six companies currently listed, BVMAC remains one of the smallest stock exchanges in Africa. CEMAC countries are Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic.