ZEP-RE

What ZEP-RE does

ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company) is a private reinsurer headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, operating as a specialised institution of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Founded in 1992 and backed at the intergovernmental level by the 21 COMESA member states, the company provides treaty and facultative reinsurance capacity to insurance carriers across the region alongside Sharia-compliant Retakaful services, parametric index-based livestock insurance, digital client platforms, and professional training through ZEP-RE Academy. Its customer base spans regional insurance companies, Islamic (Takaful) operators, Horn of Africa pastoralist communities, multilateral development partners, and AfCFTA-aligned trade facilitation entities, with the September 2022 acquisition of ACRE AFRICA extending its distribution into agricultural microinsurance.

The company's core proprietary technology centres on satellite-based parametric insurance: Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) compares Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) readings against historical seasonal baselines to trigger automatic drought payouts without individual loss adjustment. This capability underpins the Horn of Africa De-risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement (DRIVE) project, funded with $360.5 million in World Bank commitments targeting 1.6 million pastoralists and dependants across Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti. The digital stack includes a Claims Management Portal (client-portal.zep-re.com), an Inclusive Insurance Platform deployed as CRI Online Africa (application.crionline.africa) for underserved markets, a Guarantee Management System (GMS) for Credit Risk Insurance guarantee administration, and a DRIVE distribution system running on USSD (*800*8#) and a dedicated Android application. The ZEP-RE Retakaful Window provides Takaful and Retakaful products under hybrid Wakalah-Mudarabah Shariah-compliant models for Islamic finance clients.

ZEP-RE's revenue model rests on recurring reinsurance premiums ceded by African insurers under treaty and facultative arrangements, supplemented by per-participant training fees (e.g., PSTRP at USD 400), government-subsidised pastoralist premiums (Kenya subsidises up to 70% on the first 5 TLUs), and development-partner programme grants channelled through DRIVE. Distribution operates through nine staffed offices (Nairobi, Abidjan, Lusaka, Harare, Khartoum, Kampala, Addis Ababa, Kinshasa, Kigali), direct enterprise relationships with ceding insurers, a Community Mobiliser field network, and digital self-service. The Academy holds Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) accreditation; the company is a signatory to the UNEP FI Principles for Sustainable Insurance (since 2012) and The Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance (2021), and participates alongside Afreximbank's AfrexInsure platform covering US$14.5 billion in insured trade assets across 24 African countries.

Name

ZEP-RE

Legal name

ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company)

Website

https://zep-re.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company) is a COMESA-specialised reinsurer headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, providing treaty and facultative reinsurance, Sharia-compliant Retakaful, and NDVI-based livestock insurance to African insurers, Takaful operators, and Horn of Africa pastoralists across 21 member states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reinsurance Services

NAICS

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524), Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Life Insurance (6311), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

Facultative Life Reinsurance (FSAOAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Facultative Reinsurance Brokerage (FSAOAHAB), Facultative Accident & Health (A&H) Reinsurance (FSAOAFAI)

Keywords

• Reinsurance services
• Index-based livestock insurance
• Retakaful insurance
• Credit risk insurance
• Inclusive insurance platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Reinsurance Premiums: ZEP-RE earns premiums from ceding insurance companies through treaty and facultative reinsurance arrangements covering various lines of business including fire, engineering, motor, marine, and agricultural insurance.
2. Retakaful (Islamic Reinsurance): Sharia-compliant reinsurance services through dedicated Retakaful Window serving Islamic insurance operators with Takaful and Retakaful products meeting Shariah compliance requirements.
3. Training and Education Services: ZEP-RE Academy generates revenue through CII-accredited training programs, professional certifications, and workshops for insurance and reinsurance professionals across Africa. PSTRP course priced at USD 400 per participant.
4. Acquisition and Portfolio Expansion: Revenue growth through strategic acquisitions such as ACRE AFRICA to expand distribution capabilities and product offerings in African insurance markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ZEP-RE is a specialised COMESA reinsurance institution that provides treaty and facultative reinsurance capacity to insurance companies across 21 COMESA member states, supported by technical services such as product design, pricing, and capacity development. The company also operates a Retakaful Window offering Sharia-compliant reinsurance, parametric Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) for pastoralists in the Horn of Africa under the DRIVE project, Credit Risk Insurance guarantees via its digital platforms, and professional training through the CII-accredited ZEP-RE Academy.

Product overview

ZEP-RE is a leading reinsurer in Africa and COMESA specialized institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of reinsurance, parametric insurance, and digital platforms. Core offerings include treaty and facultative reinsurance, the DRIVE Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) product for pastoralists, ZEP-RE Retakaful Window for Sharia-compliant insurance, and digital platforms including Claims Management Portal, Inclusive Insurance Platform (IIP), and Guarantee Management System (GMS). Additional products include Mild Shock Saving Bonus, Hospicash & Last Expense Cover, and training through ZEP-RE Academy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DRIVE Project: Horn of Africa De-risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement project - a $360.5m initiative to enhance pastoralists' access to financial services for drought mitigation
• ZEP-RE Academy
• ZEP-RE Retakaful Window
• Young Professionals Programme

Products and services

• ZEP-RE Treaty and Facultative Reinsurance Treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions providing insurance companies across COMESA member states with underwriting capacity, risk distribution, and technical services such as product design, pricing, and risk assessment.
• ZEP-RE Retakaful Window Dedicated Sharia-compliant reinsurance window serving Islamic insurance operators through hybrid Wakalah and Mudarabah retakaful arrangements, addressing the limited retakaful capacity available in Africa.
• DRIVE Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) Parametric insurance product protecting pastoralist households in the Horn of Africa against drought-related forage loss, using satellite NDVI to trigger automatic payouts without individual loss assessment, with government subsidies on premium.
• Linda Mfugaji Hospital Cash and Life Cover Pilot microinsurance product for pastoralist families providing KSH 7,000 per hospitalisation (up to 4 times per member per year) and a KSH 25,000 life cover, underwritten by Britam under the DRIVE project.
• Claims Management Portal Online platform enabling ceding insurance companies to submit, track, and manage reinsurance claims with real-time status updates and document upload capabilities.
• Inclusive Insurance Platform (IIP) / CRI Online Africa Digital ecosystem designed to extend affordable insurance coverage across underserved African markets, managing policies, enrolments, and programme data through a unified interface.
• Guarantee Management System (GMS) Platform for managing Credit Risk Insurance (CRI) guarantees, issuing and administering CRI policies, tracking guarantee exposure across member states, and processing claims arising from buyer default or insolvency, including bordereaux reporting.
• Credit Risk Insurance (CRI) Guarantees Credit Risk Insurance guarantees supporting African trade, including partnerships with Afreximbank and AfrexInsure that cover trade assets worth over US$14.5 billion across 24 countries.
• ZEP-RE Academy Training Programmes Professional training and certification platform offering CII-accredited courses (including PSTRP, underwriting, claims management, and enterprise risk management) for insurance and reinsurance practitioners across Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 238,000+ pastoralists covered by IBLI insurance with over $14.5 billion in assets protected across Africa
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACRE AFRICAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2022ZEP-RE completed acquisition of ACRE AFRICA to expand distribution capabilities for index-based livestock insurance products. ACRE AFRICA focuses on agricultural and livestock insurance distribution in Africa.
• Government of KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment provides premium subsidies for IBLI (up to 70% for first 5 TLUs), Mild Shock Saving Bonus (KSH 7,000 matching), and regulatory support for DRIVE project implementation.
• BritamcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBritam underwrites Linda Mfugaji (Hospital Cash and Life Cover) for DRIVE project pastoralists, providing KSH 7,000 per hospitalization and KSH 25,000 life cover.
• Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCDF manages Global Give Back Circle mentorship programme for at-risk girls and ZEP-RE Metenda boys mentorship programme, providing programme administration and oversight.
• ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerILRI conducted feasibility study and product design for IBLI in Somalia under DRIVE project, contributing technical expertise for index-based livestock insurance development.
• WFP (World Food Programme)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWFP supports DRIVE distribution channels for pastoralist communities, leveraging food security programs to extend financial services access.
• Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII provides accreditation for ZEP-RE Academy professional training programs including PSTRP, enabling CPD hours for insurance professionals across Africa.
• UNEP FI (Principles for Sustainable Insurance)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZEP-RE is signatory to UNEP FI PSI, committing to integrate ESG into business strategies and support UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Nairobi Declaration SignatoriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZEP-RE signed Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance in April 2021, committing with African insurance leaders to support UN SDGs.
• AUDA-NEPADminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUDA-NEPAD co-launched USD 1.5 billion AAMFI Infrastructure Financing Facility with AAMFI during Luanda Infrastructure Financing Summit, targeting energy, transport, water, and ICT projects.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hannover Re: Hannover Re is a top-tier global reinsurer with a dedicated African strategy and growing treaty/facultative presence on the continent. It is a broad incumbent comparable to ZEP-RE on core reinsurance lines, particularly for large commercial and specialty risks.
• Swiss Re: Swiss Re is a global reinsurance leader underwriting African treaty and facultative business via its Zurich and African offices. Comparable to ZEP-RE on reinsurance product categories, but vastly larger balance sheet and broader geographic footprint.
• Munich Re: Munich Re is one of the world's largest reinsurers with an active African strategy spanning treaty, facultative, and specialty lines. It competes with ZEP-RE on large commercial risks and retrocession, while offering far deeper capital and global diversification.

Emerging players

• ACRE Africa: ACRE Africa is a Nairobi-based agricultural and livestock insurance distributor acquired by ZEP-RE in 2022. It is comparable as a focused parametric insurance distribution platform serving similar pastoralist and smallholder customers in the same geography.
• Tawuniya (Company for Cooperative Insurance): Tawuniya is a leading Saudi Takaful and reinsurance operator. It is comparable to ZEP-RE's Retakaful Window as a Sharia-compliant reinsurance provider, and a potential partner or competitor for African Islamic insurance cessions.

Direct peers

• African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re): Africa Re is the largest Pan-African reinsurer, headquartered in Lagos with a multi-country treaty and facultative franchise across the continent. It is the most direct comparable to ZEP-RE given similar regional reinsurance mandate, African institutional backing, and overlapping line-of-business focus.
• Kenya Reinsurance Corporation (Kenya Re): Kenya Re is a Nairobi-headquartered African reinsurer offering treaty and facultative reinsurance across East and Southern Africa. It competes head-to-head with ZEP-RE for ceding company relationships and facultative placements in the Kenyan and COMESA-adjacent markets.
• Britam Holdings: Britam is a major East African composite insurer that underwrites Linda Mfugaji and Hospicash products for ZEP-RE's DRIVE project. As a ceding partner and direct insurer, Britam is a customer-comparable peer in the African insurance value chain.

Regional players

• Société Centrale de Réassurance (SCR): SCR is the Moroccan state-backed reinsurer with deep Maghreb and francophone Africa franchise. While focused on North and West Africa, it competes for francophone African cessions that overlap with ZEP-RE's Abidjan and broader COMESA portfolio.

Others

• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI): ILRI is a CGIAR research institute and ZEP-RE partner that conducted the feasibility study and product design for IBLI Somalia. It is an ecosystem enabler in the same parametric livestock insurance value chain, not a direct reinsurer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ptazep
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zep-re

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZEP-RE