Heirs Holdings has reinforced its position as one of Africa’s leading investment groups after three of its portfolio companies secured prominent spots in the Financial Times’ 2026 ranking of Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies.
The annual list, compiled by the UK-based Financial Times in partnership with Statista, recognises businesses across the continent delivering outstanding revenue growth, innovation, and market expansion.
Heirs Life Assurance claimed the 7th position with a remarkable Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 147.85%. Redtech ranked 32nd with a CAGR of 69.66%, while Heirs General Insurance placed 41st with a CAGR of 60.02%.
The strong showing highlights growing investor confidence in African-owned enterprises that are building scalable, globally competitive solutions while advancing economic inclusion.
The achievement aligns with the philosophy of Africapitalism championed by Heirs Holdings Founder and Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu, which emphasises the private sector’s role as a driver of economic transformation, business growth, and social development across Africa.
Heirs Holdings continues to focus on key sectors including insurance, fintech, payments, and digital infrastructure. The group attributes the performance of its companies to a long-term investment strategy centred on sustainable value creation, innovation, and infrastructure development.
Recent Highlights
Heirs Insurance Group (comprising Heirs Life Assurance and Heirs General Insurance) launched Nigeria’s first multi-language GenAI insurance assistant to boost customer engagement and expand insurance access. The group also hosted the inaugural Heirs Insurance Travel Festival, the first travel insurance festival in Nigeria, to advocate for better visa access and more inclusive travel policies for Africans.
Redtech recorded explosive growth in the fintech and payments space, processing transactions worth over $27 billion (approx. N37.2 trillion) — a significant increase from $8.9 billion (N12 trillion) in 2024. The company has deployed more than 55,000 RedPay POS terminals nationwide within 16 months and formed key partnerships with MoMo PSB and United Bank for Africa. It has also expanded its payment infrastructure across five UEMOA countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal.
The Financial Times ranking is widely regarded as a major benchmark for business growth and resilience on the continent. Heirs Holdings’ latest success further cements the group’s growing influence in driving financial inclusion and digital transformation across Africa.
