Mobile telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has announced its partnership with AXA Mansard to provide its customers access to Health Insurance via USSD.

By dialing the short code: *987*7#, Airtel users would be provided with a service that grants them access to “affordable and robust” health insurance plans from AXA Mansard.

According to a press statement by Airtel Nigeria, the health insurance service provided in collaboration with AXA Mansard, would give its customers access to over 1,000 hospitals nationwide.

The health insurance plan covered by the service include: malaria cover, inpatient, outpatient, specialist medical consultations, immunizations, family planning, ambulance services, dental care, etc.

The partnership between AXA Mansard and Airtel Nigeria is in response to the Nigerian Government’s goal, through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to provide easy access to healthcare for all Nigerians by leveraging on the USSD channel, and other easy-to-use and interactive platform.

Commenting on Airtel Nigeria’s partnership with AXA Mansard, Head, Mobile Financial Services, Muyiwa Ebitanmi, said:

“Airtel Nigeria is always exploring innovative ways and platforms that will make life easier, more meaningful and more enjoyable for Nigerians. With this initiative, we are not just delivering bespoke health insurance services to the doorstep of more people, we are also leading a quiet revolution that will drive and deepen health insurance inclusion by removing the many barriers that have hitherto excluded many well-meaning Nigerians from participating in the sector.”

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AXA Mansard’s Head of Emerging Customers and Digital Partnerships Group, Mr. Alfred Egbai, stated that:

“Our research has shown the value and importance of having a health insurance plan to the public especially for the emerging customers in the country, but for many reasons, the uptake of insurance products has been low. In order to mitigate these challenges and satisfy the health needs of the retail consumer whilst also encouraging the uptake of health insurance in the country, we have partnered with Airtel Nigeria to provide a solution that gives users a convenient way to purchase and manage their AXA Mansard micro-insurance plans.”