Jamii Africa

Jamii Africa operates as a mobile-first micro-health insurance provider in Tanzania, targeting the low-income and informal sectors of the population. The company, which also operates under the legal name Edgepoint Digital Ltd., was founded in January 2015 by Lilian Makoi, with Chris Rabi joining as an early investor. Makoi's inspiration for the venture came from a personal tragedy where a staff member's husband passed away due to the inability to afford a $25 medical bill, highlighting a critical gap in healthcare access for a majority of Tanzanians.

The firm’s business model centers on a proprietary mobile policy management platform that digitizes and automates the administrative functions of an insurer, which dramatically reduces overhead. This efficiency allows the company to offer health insurance policies for as little as $1 per month. Revenue is generated through a commission on each policy activated on its platform, with shares also allocated to its strategic partners. These partnerships are crucial to its operations, notably with Vodacom Tanzania for mobile money premium collections via M-Pesa and with Jubilee Insurance as the underwriter. This structure cuts administrative costs by up to 95%, making the product affordable to a market segment where 76% of people earn less than $70 a month.

The service is accessible via USSD, allowing customers to select, pay for, and manage their policies directly from their mobile phones without needing a smartphone or internet connection. The platform offers various plans, including options for individuals and families with coverage durations of 3, 6, or 12 months, and facilitates cashless claims at a network of over 400 hospitals. Since its launch, Jamii Africa has raised approximately $2.07 million through a combination of seed funding and grants from notable investors including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Techstars, and the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund. The company has participated in several accelerator programs, such as the Barclays Accelerator powered by Techstars, which helped refine its business model and go-to-market strategy.

Keywords: micro-health insurance, insurtech, financial inclusion, mobile insurance, Tanzania, Africa healthcare, USSD platform, low-income insurance, Vodacom M-Pesa, Jubilee Insurance, digital health, mobile payments, healthcare financing, emerging markets, social enterprise, Lilian Makoi, affordable healthcare, policy management platform, informal sector, family insurance plans