…as LNIG Hollard’s partnership with Sannere continues to evolve
LNIG Hollard is intensifying its strategic focus on connecting with younger consumers, leveraging culturally relevant storytelling and music partnerships to reposition insurance as an accessible, relatable and an essential part of everyday financial decision-making.
The insurer continues to enhance its partnership with local artist Sannere (Relebohile Monapathi), who recently released a single ‘Ke molato oaka’, which forms part of a broader strategy by Hollard to normalise conversations around insurance, including funeral cover and household contents protection, while encouraging more proactive financial planning – all using music.
Structural gaps persist within the financial services landscape in Lesotho. Data from FinMark Trust indicates that while financial inclusion in Lesotho reached 87% by 2021, insurance adoption continues to lag behind other financial products such as banking. At the same time, reliance on informal risk-mitigation mechanisms is declining, placing increased importance on formal insurance solutions to reduce financial vulnerability in times of crisis, for individuals, families and the state.
According to LNIG Hollard, the insurer is deliberately targeting younger and early-career consumers segments that represent a critical opportunity to embed behaviours around effective financial planning and protection earlier in life.
LNIG Hollard’s Head of Brand and Marketing, Liepollo Tsekoa, says, “we recognise that insurance in many markets, including Lesotho, has traditionally been perceived as complex, distant, or only relevant to certain income groups. Therefore, there is a clear need to engage underserved and emerging consumer segments, particularly young and early-career individuals who are at the beginning of their financial journeys, to understand the need for insurance as a financial planning tool.”
She adds, “through these and similar partnerships, our ambition is to simplify insurance and embed it into everyday life decisions among Basotho in a way that is both meaningful and sustainable.”
Speaking about the partnership with LNIG Hollard, Sannere says, “music is a powerful reflection of our lived experiences. With ‘Ke molato oaka’, we wanted to tell a real story about responsibility, dignity and the consequences of not being prepared.”
The release of the song was strategically timed to coincide with the high-traffic Easter travel period, aligning the campaign with real-life behavioural moments. The song captures both the excitement of travel and the inherent risks associated with it. It aims to reinforce the role of insurance as a practical enabler of security and peace of mind – in an upbeat way that resonates with listeners.
Beyond its timing, the song represents a deliberate shift in how financial products are communicated. ‘Ke molato oaka’ highlights the tangible impact of being insured and of the opposite. It reflects on the importance of providing a dignified send-off for loved ones, supporting consumers to use insurance as a financial planning tool to help them avoid financial losses resulting from any household incidents. It reframes insurance as a marker of financial maturity, or what many young Basotho describe as “levelling up” (ho Qatsoha) in safeguarding their futures.
Early indicators on the release of the song, based on its performance across social media platforms, suggest that this culturally grounded approach is beginning to shift attitudes to insurance, perception and behaviour among young people.
Tsekoa says, “we’ve seen strong momentum among young people through this partnership. In particular, funeral insurance has experienced meaningful growth among younger demographics, supported by increased responsiveness across digital and SMS channels. More importantly, conversations around insurance are becoming normalised, with young people actively seeking information and engaging with financial decision-making in ways not previously observed.”
However, the data also highlights a more nuanced challenge within the market.
“Despite this progress, a key barrier remains the gap between awareness and financial prioritisation,” Tsekoa notes. “Younger consumers are engaging with the content and demonstrating clear interest, but their decision-making is still influenced by competing short-term lifestyle priorities.”
As the partnership with Sannere continues to evolve, LNIG Hollard remains focused on a long-term objective that seeks to close the gap between awareness and adoption, to drive growth in insurance penetration in Lesotho.
“Our goal is to simplify insurance and fundamentally change how it is perceived, understood, and prioritised among young people, as this is a generation that has historically felt disconnected from it,” Tsekoa concludes.
Liepollo Tsekoa is the Head of Brand and Marketing at Hollard Lesotho.
