Nigeria’s healthcare and insurance industry is witnessing a growing shift toward digital solutions, as operators deploy technology to tackle long-standing challenges such as delays in treatment authorisation and access to care.

Riding on this trend, AXA Mansard Health has launched a WhatsApp chatbot, Karis, designed to reduce waiting time and improve service delivery across its network of over 2,000 partner hospitals nationwide.

The Health Management Organisation said the innovation would enable its more than 300,000 enrollees to obtain treatment approvals, confirm authorisations, check plan status, access benefits, purchase health plans and receive support during medical emergencies directly via the messaging platform.

Chief Executive Officer of AXA Mansard Health Limited, Tope Adeniyi, said the solution reflects the company’s customer-first approach and its commitment to simplifying access to healthcare.

He noted that manual authorisation processes have remained a major pain point in the system, often leading to delays that discourage patients from seeking timely care. According to him, the introduction of Karis eliminates these bottlenecks by enabling real-time approvals through a familiar and widely used platform.

“With this solution, our enrollees can experience faster service at the point of care.

They can also check what their plans cover, locate hospitals or specialists, and interact seamlessly. It is about making healthcare more personalised and accessible,” Adeniyi said.

He added that the chatbot is part of a broader strategy to harness digital innovation to enhance service delivery and overall customer experience.

AXA Mansard Health maintained that the initiative underscores its commitment to leveraging technology to simplify healthcare processes, reduce administrative burdens and enable patients to focus on their well-being.

Industry observers say such innovations are expected to deepen efficiency in Nigeria’s health insurance space, while improving confidence in managed care services and expanding access to timely medical attention.