Heirs Life Assurance Limited (HLA) is a specialist life insurance company. We challenge traditional insurance with 21st-century digital tools and technology, to provide simple, quick, reliable, and accessible financial security plans to individuals and businesses.
Heirs Life provides plans that secures futures, finances, families, children’s education, businesses and more. Our range of products ensure that at every stage, everyone can live life to the fullest.
Heirs Life has a paid-up share capital of N8billion, Heirs Life’s product offerings comprise insurance-backed savings plans and life insurance security for individuals, families, children’s education, debtors, creditors, entrepreneurs, and employees.
The company is backed by top-notch Reinsurers to provide second-layer security for its clients’ insurance portfolios. Heirs Life Assurance is a subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, a pan-African investment group with presence in 24 countries across 4 continents.
We are Africapitalists at heart and in deed. We believe that the private sector must play the lead role in the economic transformation of Nigeria. As insurers, we live this philosophy by driving financial inclusion across all levels and providing financial security, even before it is needed.
Our mission is to make insurance accessible to everyone. We believe that by making insurance easy to understand and creating relevant plans to match a variety of needs, we empower people to dream and pursue their ambition, without fear.
Nobody can predict the future. We all wish we could, so we can live the way we really want to. With Heirs Life, we take on the risks so you can get on with your life. We go a step further by analysing trends and offering timely life-enhancing information, to put you in control.
As part of the Heirs Holdings group, we share a collective belief in competence and character. We pride ourselves in the core values of Enterprise, Excellence, and Execution
1. | Execution: | We are doers; we ensure the timely completion of all projects. |
2. | Excellence: | We are diligent and responsive; we deliver stellar performance consistently. |
3. | Enterprise: | We are accountable and committed to driving measurable results. |
Chairman, Heirs Life Assurance
Tony O. Elumelu is one of Africa's leading investors and philanthropists.
He is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, his family-owned investment company committed to improving lives and transforming Africa, through long-term investments in strategic sectors of the African economy, including financial services, hospitality, power, energy, technology and healthcare.
Tony is the Chairman of pan-African financial services group, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which operates in 20 countries across Africa, the United Kingdom, France, and is the only African bank with a commercial deposit taking presence in the United States. UBA provides corporate, commercial, SME and consumer banking services to more than 21 million customers globally.
He also chairs Nigeria's largest quoted conglomerate, Transcorp whose subsidiaries include Transcorp Power, one of the leading producers of electricity in Nigeria and Transcorp Hotels Pic, Nigeria's foremost hospitality brand.
He is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Oil & Gas, an upstream oil and gas company, whose assets include Nigerian oil block OML17 with a current production capacity of 27,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and 2P reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with an additional 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources of further exploration potential. Heirs Oil & Gas is committed to creating resource based added value on the African continent.
Tony is the most prominent champion of entrepreneurship in Africa. In 2010, he created The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the pan-African philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs. Since inception, the Foundation has funded just over 10,000 entrepreneurs. In 2020, in recognition of his business leadership and economic empowerment of young African entrepreneurs, he was named in the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World and recognised with Belgium's oldest and highest royal order.
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Dan Okeke is the Group Executive Director at Heirs Holdings, responsible for business coordination and growth across the group's pan-African investment portfolio.
Prior to joining Heirs Holdings, Dan had a three-decade career at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), where he recently served as an Executive Director, responsible for leading consumer, commercial and public-sector businesses.
Dan is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and the International Institute of Management Development (IMD). He has a B.Sc. in Geography from the University of Nsukka and an MBA from Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Vice Chairman
Managing Director/CEO
Niyi Onifade is a seasoned chartered insurer with over three decades of experience in the financial services industry.
He has held several leadership roles across the insurance and pension sectors, including serving as General Manager at African Alliance Insurance Limited, Vice President at Pensions Alliance Limited, and ADIC Life Assurance Limited (Now NSIA) where he served as the company’s pioneer CEO. Niyi went on to serve as Deputy Managing Director at Capital Express Assurance, overseeing operations in five African countries, and later, he became MD/CEO of Wapic Life Assurance before joining Heirs Insurance Limited (then in formation) in 2015 as the pioneer CEO.
In 2020, he was appointed the first MD/CEO of Heirs Life Assurance Limited, a subsidiary of Heirs Insurance Group. In August 2024, Niyi became the Sector Head of Heirs Insurance Group comprising Heirs Life Assurance, Heirs General Insurance and Heirs Insurance Brokers. In this capacity, he provides leadership, working with other Heirs Insurance CEOs, in driving the execution of the strategic initiatives and transformation plans for the member companies, ensuring that all intra-group synergies are fully harnessed, and ultimately delivering on the performance target for the Group.
Niyi has served as a company representative in various industry committees both locally and internationally. In July 2024, he was elected to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), where he contributes to shaping the future of the Nigerian insurance industry. He is also the Chairman of the Advisory Board of Heirs Academy, which was launched to reinforce Heirs Holdings' commitment to institutionalizing leadership and equipping future leaders.
A recognised thought leader in the field, Niyi has authored numerous publications, some of which have been featured in international insurance journals. He is also a visiting lecturer at the West African Insurance Institute (WAII) in Banjul, The Gambia.
Niyi Onifade is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School and the Swiss Insurance Academy, Zurich. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) of London and Nigeria. His academic achievements include winning the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and Femi Johnson Prizes for Best Overall Student in 1990.
In 2003, he became the first Nigerian—and only the second African—to receive the prestigious Rutter Medal Award from the Chartered Insurance Institute, London, for his outstanding performance in the Institute’s Fellowship examinations and research studies, a feat that earned him global recognition.
Managing Director/CEO
Non-Executive Director
Adesimbo Bello-Ukiri is the pioneer Managing Director and CEO of Avon Healthcare Ltd (Avon HMO), spearheading its evolution from a startup in 2012 into the leading Nigerian health management organization it is today.
A trained lawyer, she holds an LLB from Obafemi Awolowo University and is a Sloan Fellow of London Business School, where she obtained an MSc in Management (Leadership and Strategy).
Before starting Avon HMO in 2012, Adesimbo served as the Managing Director at a leading Nigerian healthcare company. Prior to this role, she held various executive and senior management positions with responsibilities for Strategy, Marketing, Sales & Business Development, as well as Finance and Operations.
With over 30 years of professional working experience, her expertise spans diverse sectors including financial services (Banking), Oil & Gas exploration, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Telecommunications, and Healthcare with various multi-national and national corporations.
Adesimbo is a passionate healthcare and technology advocate, often speaking internationally and featuring as a resource and choice speaker for global organizations and institutions seeking expert healthcare perspectives in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Suleyman Abdu Ndanusa has held several top management positions in the banking sector serving as the Managing Director/CEO, Spring Bank Plc, and Lead Consultant in the Central Bank of Nigeria's Bank Consolidation Monitoring Team.
Throughout his career, he has demonstrated leadership capabilities, serving on the Board of Directors of various corporations such as UAC PIc (2010 - 2013), Penman Pensions Ltd (2005 - 2014) and Suburban Telecoms. He also served as the Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Commerce.
Suleymen holds a BSc. in Economics, an LLB from University of Lagos, an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University, and a Ph.D in Management (Corporate Governance) from University of San Juan.
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Chiugo Ndubisi is the Group Executive Director, Investment and Integration, Heirs Holdings, and brings on board over two decades of experience in the Nigerian financial industry into his role on the board of Heirs Life Assurance.
Previously, he served as the Executive Director, Treasury and International Banking at United Bank for Africa PIC (UBA), where he was responsible for diverse business are as, including Treasury Business, Embassies, Multilateral and Donor Organisations (EMDOs), and led operations of UBA's International subsidiaries in America, UK, France and Dubai.
Chiugo graduated with a first class in Engineering (B. Eng) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He holds an MBA from the University of Lagos Akoka, a Senior Management Certification from Lagos Business School, and an Advanced Management Certification from Wharton Business School, Pennsylvania.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Wole Fayemi is the Managing Director/CEO of Heirs General Insurance. He is responsible for leading the company and driving the achievement of its strategic initiatives.
He has over two decades of experience in the Nigerian insurance industry across insurance sales and marketing, technical operations, change management, and strategic planning.
Wole started his insurance career with Solid Trust Insurance Brokers Limited as an Underwriting Executive, before assuming the role of Manager at Feybil Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Ltd.
In 2005, he joined Cornerstone Insurance Plc, where he headed the Manufacturing, Trading & Engineering Unit of the Head Office Annex, and later worked as Claims Administrator at the Head Office, before moving to ADIC Insurance Limited as Team Lead, Claims. Here, he played a significant role in re-engineering and restructuring the organisation for optimal performance, among other notable achievements. Following that, he joined Guinea Insurance Plc as Group Lead, Technical, before his appointment as the Executive Director, Technical, in 2017.
Prior to joining Heirs General Insurance as the MD/CEO in May 2023, he served as Executive Director, Technical at Old Mutual General Insurance, where he led the operations team to achieve profitable top-line growth and drove the strategic direction of the operations team.
Wole holds a Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in Economics from the University of llorin and the University of Lagos respectively. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School at the Pan-Atlantic University and an Associate Member of both the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).
Non-Executive Director
Managing Director/CEO
Niyi Onifade is a seasoned chartered insurer with over three decades of experience in the financial services industry.
He has held several leadership roles across the insurance and pension sectors, including serving as General Manager at African Alliance Insurance Limited, Vice President at Pensions Alliance Limited, and ADIC Life Assurance Limited (Now NSIA) where he served as the company’s pioneer CEO. Niyi went on to serve as Deputy Managing Director at Capital Express Assurance, overseeing operations in five African countries, and later, he became MD/CEO of Wapic Life Assurance before joining Heirs Insurance Limited (then in formation) in 2015 as the pioneer CEO.
In 2020, he was appointed the first MD/CEO of Heirs Life Assurance Limited, a subsidiary of Heirs Insurance Group. In August 2024, Niyi became the Sector Head of Heirs Insurance Group comprising Heirs Life Assurance, Heirs General Insurance and Heirs Insurance Brokers. In this capacity, he provides leadership, working with other Heirs Insurance CEOs, in driving the execution of the strategic initiatives and transformation plans for the member companies, ensuring that all intra-group synergies are fully harnessed, and ultimately delivering on the performance target for the Group.
Niyi has served as a company representative in various industry committees both locally and internationally. In July 2024, he was elected to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), where he contributes to shaping the future of the Nigerian insurance industry. He is also the Chairman of the Advisory Board of Heirs Academy, which was launched to reinforce Heirs Holdings' commitment to institutionalizing leadership and equipping future leaders.
A recognised thought leader in the field, Niyi has authored numerous publications, some of which have been featured in international insurance journals. He is also a visiting lecturer at the West African Insurance Institute (WAII) in Banjul, The Gambia.
Niyi Onifade is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School and the Swiss Insurance Academy, Zurich. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) of London and Nigeria. His academic achievements include winning the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and Femi Johnson Prizes for Best Overall Student in 1990.
In 2003, he became the first Nigerian—and only the second African—to receive the prestigious Rutter Medal Award from the Chartered Insurance Institute, London, for his outstanding performance in the Institute’s Fellowship examinations and research studies, a feat that earned him global recognition.
Managing Director/CEO
Chief Compliance Officer
Timothy Adediji is the Chief Compliance Officer, Heirs Life Assurance. He holds a BSc in Insurance from Joseph Ayo Babalola University and MBA from LAUTECH. He has HND in Accounting from The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and holds Certificate of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.
He left Circular MF Bank to join join Mikano Intl. as a Financial Accountant in January.
He later joined Vigilant Insurance Ltd as Financial Accountant. In 2006, he transitioned into the role of an Internal Auditor when the company merged with NEM Insurance Pic and subsequently became a Resident Auditor at Bank PHB PIc.
He continued that trail and became the Head, Internal Control & Audit at Insurance PHB Limited (now KBL Insurance) in 2010. Following the company's investment in Healthcare industry, he was appointed as the MD/CEO of KBL Healthcare in 2013.
Prior to joining Heirs Life Assurance Limited, Timothy worked with Great Nigeria Insurance Plc as the Group Head, Internal Control & Compliance. He has attended various trainings locally and abroad including Business Innovations from Harvard Business School, USA. Health Economics from Oxford University, UK and Strategy Execution from Wharton Business School (University of Pennsylvania) USA.
Chief Compliance Officer
Group Head, Resources
Yetunde Ayeni is a Human Resources expert with over 13 years of professional experience cutting across various sectors including Oil and Gas, Consulting, Information Technology, etc.
Yetunde started her HR career in Yana Inspiration Dance Company where she was responsible for HR/Admin activities and subsequently moved into Consulting with HCDC Limited In 2013 she joined Michael Stevens as a Senior Consultant where she handled the HR process improvement amongst other responsibilities.
Prior to joining Heirs Life Assurance Limited, Yetunde was the Assistant Manager, HR Services at TSL Logistics Limited where she was responsible for HR strategy and Operations cutting across Nigeria & Ghana. In addition, she assisted with an oversight function on Facility Management, Information Technology Corporate Communications.
Yetunde holds a BSc in Industrial Labour Relations from Olabisi Onabanjo University. She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) and a Licensed Human Resource Professional (HRPL) of the same Institute.
Group Head, Resources
Head, Retail Sales
Olugbenga Osibodu is a Sales expert with over 10 years of professional experience.
Olugbenga started his career as a Business Analyst at EON UK in 2006. Thereafter, he joined Axa Mansard Insurance Pic as a Direct Sales Manager in 2009.
In 2011. he joined WAPIC Insurance Plc as Head, SME Bancassurance and in 2013, he moved to Cornerstone Insurance Plc to take on the role of Head, Alternative Channels He had a second opportunity to work with WAPIC Insurance Plc as the Regional Head, Lagos Island Retail Sales Distribution in 2015.
Prior to joining Heirs Life Assurance Limited, he functioned in the capacity of National Agency Head Manager at Custodian Life Assurance.
Olugbenga holds a BSc in Psychology from the University of Ibadan.
Head, Retail Sales
Acting Head, Legal Service/Company Secretary
Blessing Ezemelue is the Acting Head, Legal Services/Company Secretary of the company with over 18 years post-call experience in the Legal & Company Secretariate divisions of the financial services sector.
Blessing was called to the Nigeria Bar in 2005. She began her career in 2007 as a counsel with Olalekan Yusuf & Co (SAN). She then went on to join the Citizens Law Office as Deputy Head of Chambers before joining Royal Exchange Finance & Asset Management Ltd where she served for 9 years and grew to become the Acting Head, Legal & Debt Recovery and Designate Compliance Officer, respectively.
Prior to joining the Heirs Insurance Group in October 2020, Blessing worked at FBN Insurance Limited (now Sanlam Life) as a Senior Legal Officer/Assistant Company Secretary.
She holds an LLB and LLM degree from the University of Benin and the University of Lagos respectively. She is also an Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administration of Nigeria (ICSAN).
Acting Head, Legal Services/Company Secretary
Head, Internal Audit
Enitan Mofoluwake Ajibola is a seasoned Internal Audit and Risk Management professional with over two decades of experience in accounting, finance, and compliance. Her expertise lies in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks while ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.
Enitan holds a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Sunderland, UK, and an MBA in Finance and Investment from Ahmadu Bello University. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), demonstrating her commitment to professional excellence.
Throughout her career, Enitan has consistently delivered exceptional results and made a significant impact on the businesses she has served. Her strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities have enabled her to identify and address potential vulnerabilities effectively.Head, Internal Audit
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