Heirs Holdings Leads Financial Times Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2026 List

• Three portfolio companies rank among Africa’s top 50 high‑growth businesses, cementing Holdings’ status as a leading investment group

• Redtech processed $27 billion in transactions, up from $8.9 billion in 2024

Heirs Holdings has reinforced its reputation as one of Africa’s most dynamic investment groups after three of its portfolio companies were named among the continent’s fastest‑growing businesses in the 2026 Financial Times (FT) ranking, released in partnership with Statista.

The annual list, produced by the UK‑based FT and the global research firm Statista, highlights companies that achieve outstanding revenue growth, drive innovation, and expand into new markets across Africa’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

The recognition reflects growing investor confidence in African‑owned enterprises that build scalable solutions capable of competing globally while fostering economic inclusion.

In the latest ranking, Heirs Life Assurance secured the seventh spot on the continent with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 147.85 percent. Redtech ranked 32nd with a CAGR of 69.66 percent, and Heirs General Insurance placed 41st with a CAGR of 60.02 percent.

These achievements position Heirs Holdings among a select group of African investment firms whose portfolio companies are driving growth in strategic sectors such as insurance, fintech, payments, and digital infrastructure.

The results underscore the philosophy of Africapitalism championed by Heirs Holdings’ chairman and founder, Mr. Tony Elumelu, which promotes the private sector as a catalyst for Africa’s economic transformation, business growth, and social development.

Across its portfolio, Heirs Holdings continues to build and scale businesses that deliver innovation and measurable impact in key sectors, including insurance, technology, payments, and financial services.

The latest recognition also highlights the expanding footprint of the Heirs Holdings ecosystem, which is increasingly positioned at the heart of financial inclusion and digital transformation initiatives across Africa.

The group attributes its performance to a long‑term investment approach focused on sustainable value creation, innovation, and infrastructure development.

In recent months, Heirs Insurance Group—comprising Heirs Life Assurance and Heirs General Insurance—has accelerated its technology‑driven expansion with the launch of Nigeria’s first multi‑language GenAI insurance assistant, aimed at deepening customer engagement and improving insurance accessibility.

The group also increased its visibility within the travel and insurance ecosystem through the inaugural Heirs Insurance Travel Festival, described as Nigeria’s first travel insurance festival. The event promotes improved visa access for Africans, stronger bilateral cooperation, and a more inclusive travel environment across the continent.

Meanwhile, Redtech has continued its rapid expansion in the fintech space, processing transactions worth over $27 billion (about N37.2 trillion), compared to $8.9 billion (N12 trillion) in 2024.

The payments company has also accelerated its merchant acquisition drive through partnerships with MoMo PSB and United Bank for Africa, deploying more than 55,000 RedPay point‑of‑sale terminals nationwide within 16 months.

Beyond Nigeria, Redtech’s payment infrastructure now supports transactions across five UEMOA countries—Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal—strengthening regional payment connectivity and cross‑border digital commerce in West Africa.

The FT ranking is widely regarded as one of the continent’s most influential business growth benchmarks, highlighting companies that demonstrate resilience, scale, and innovation amid Africa’s increasingly competitive economic environment.

In a statement, Heirs Holdings said the recognition reinforces African businesses’ ability to build globally relevant solutions while driving innovation, inclusion, and economic transformation at scale.

Heirs Holdings is a leading pan‑African investment company with interests in financial services, power, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, and technology, committed to improving lives and transforming Africa through strategic long‑term investments.