Sanlam Rebrands Togo Operations as SanlamAllianz
Friday, 19 December 2025 05:22 
(Togo First) - Sanlam, formerly known as Saham, has rebranded its operations in Togo as SanlamAllianz, completing the rollout of the group’s new identity in the country.
The rebranding follows the creation in September 2023 of a joint venture between South Africa’s Sanlam and Germany’s Allianz, two major players in insurance and non-banking financial services. The combination of their African operations resulted in a group active in more than 25 countries, serving nearly 30 million customers and employing hundreds of thousands of people.
Owned 60% by Sanlam and 40% by Allianz, the joint venture aims to strengthen the groups’ presence in high-growth African markets while pooling technical expertise, financial resources and governance standards.
In Togo, the transition was relatively simple. Unlike other markets where both brands operated in parallel, the country had a single entity, historically known as Saham, which later came under Sanlam’s control.
“It was not a merger of local subsidiaries but a name change to align the brand with the group’s identity across Africa,” said Bikiry Makanguilé, chairman of SanlamAllianz Togo. Management outlined the new brand identity at a press briefing in Lomé on Thursday.
Simon Pierre Gouem, managing director of SanlamAllianz Togo, said operations would continue without disruption. While the brand has changed, teams, contractual commitments and service quality remain unchanged, he said. The rebranding is expected to enhance financial capacity and provide greater access to the group’s operational standards and best practices.
SanlamAllianz says it holds a dominant position in the Togolese insurance market, accounting for around 36% of national activity, and that it has led the sector since 2017.
The company reported turnover of about 16 billion CFA francs and claims payments exceeding 7 billion CFA francs in 2024, figures that Gouem said reflect its financial strength and ability to meet obligations.
Abdellatif Mouad, regional director for West and Central Africa, said the rebranding should be seen in a broader context. He described SanlamAllianz as the leading provider of non-banking financial services on the continent, noting that its scale allows it to better support companies and individuals facing increasingly complex risks.
Growth prospects will depend largely on the expansion of the domestic market. In Togo, insurance penetration is estimated at around 1.7%, according to the Togo Insurers Committee, well below African and global averages.
Makanguilé said the success of the rebranding would depend on the company’s ability to expand its customer base, improve satisfaction levels and accelerate the adoption of digital tools. He added that management is targeting double-digit growth and plans to conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys.
Despite low penetration, the insurance sector in Togo has shown steady growth in recent years. Industry turnover reached 87 billion CFA francs in 2022, up from 60 billion CFA francs in 2019, according to data from 2023.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
