How a leading Nigerian insurance group is using cloud transformation and Microsoft technologies to improve IT reliability, streamline HR processes and create a more connected workforce.
For organisations operating in highly regulated industries, technology has to do more than keep systems running. It must support critical business operations, enable employees to work effectively and give leadership the confidence to scale.
For Industrial and General Insurance PLC (IGI) and its health insurance subsidiary, IHMS HMO, these priorities presented two distinct but equally important challenges.
The IT team needed a dependable technology partner that understood the demands of operating in the insurance and healthcare sectors, where infrastructure reliability, security and operational continuity are essential. Meanwhile, the Human Capital Management team wanted to bridge the gap between HR and employees, making it easier to communicate, understand employee needs and create a more collaborative workplace.
Both challenges pointed to a bigger opportunity: making technology work better for the business and the people behind it.
Through its partnership with Descasio, IGI and IHMS have strengthened their IT foundation, improved issue resolution and introduced Microsoft technologies that are transforming how employees connect and collaborate.
For IGI and IHMS, the need for digital transformation extended beyond upgrading technology. It was about addressing the operational and human challenges that affected how the organisations worked.
On the technology front, operating across insurance and healthcare meant that the IT team had to maintain a reliable infrastructure capable of supporting critical business functions. With operational continuity being a priority, they needed more than a vendor that could supply technology. They needed a partner that understood their environment, could anticipate challenges and provide responsive support when issues arose.
For Remi Ogunsola, IT Team Lead at IGI PLC and IHMS HMO, the decision to engage a technology partner came down to finding one that understood the realities of their operations.
“When selecting a technology partner, we required more than just a software vendor. We needed a strategic partner that deeply understood the healthcare regulatory environment, our operational urgency and the critical need for zero downtime infrastructure.”
But the technology challenge was only one side of the story.
Within Human Capital Management, the team recognised that effective HR goes beyond administrative processes. It requires consistent engagement with employees, an understanding of their concerns and the ability to create an environment where people feel connected to the organisation.
However, connecting with employees across the organisation was not always easy, particularly when colleagues were not physically in the same location.
As Eruteya Ekpekurede, Associate, Recruitment and Performance Management, Human Capital Management at IGI PLC, explained:
“In the HR space, we are people-oriented. We need to connect more with our people, feel their pulse and address their concerns. If HR is not in the lives of its employees, it is very difficult to understand their challenges and their needs.”
The two challenges highlighted a common requirement: technology that could strengthen the organisation’s operational foundation while improving the everyday experience of its people.
The Solution: Building a Stronger Technology Foundation and a More Connected Workforce
IGI and IHMS chose Descasio as their technology partner, drawing on its cloud transformation expertise, enterprise technology capabilities and commitment to delivering solutions around specific business needs.
The engagement focused on addressing the organisations’ infrastructure requirements while introducing Microsoft technologies that could improve productivity, communication and collaboration.
Strengthening IT operations through cloud transformation and proactive support
For the IT team, the priority was to establish a more dependable technology environment backed by a partner that understood the critical nature of its operations.
Descasio provided ongoing technical support, helping the team address issues promptly and maintain greater confidence in its IT environment.
Rather than simply responding when problems occurred, the emphasis was on proactive support, understanding the organisations’ operational requirements and resolving issues with minimal disruption.
Making HR processes smarter with Microsoft Copilot
For Human Capital Management, Microsoft Copilot introduced an opportunity to improve how the team manages its work.
By supporting everyday tasks and workflows, Copilot helps the team maintain more efficient processes and align its work with established industry best practices.
This gives HR more room to focus on what matters most: supporting employees, improving internal processes and contributing to the wider business.
Connecting employees through Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams provided a more accessible platform for employees to communicate, exchange ideas and collaborate, regardless of their physical location.
This has helped create a more connected working environment, making it easier for colleagues to share knowledge, communicate organisational values and participate in conversations that strengthen workplace culture.
Together, these solutions addressed both sides of the transformation: strengthening the technology that supports business operations and improving how people work together.
The Implementation: A Partnership Built Around Understanding the Business
Technology implementation is only as effective as the support behind it.
For IGI and IHMS, the experience of working with Descasio has been shaped by the responsiveness of its technical team and its understanding of the organisations’ operational requirements.
The IT team particularly valued the proactive approach to support and the ability to resolve issues swiftly, without losing sight of the business environment in which those systems operate.
Remi Ogunsola highlighted this experience:
“Working with the Descasio team has been an exceptional experience. Their proactive support, swift issue resolutions and deep understanding of our operational rhythms give us full confidence in what our IT posture should be.”
This understanding has been an important part of the engagement, ensuring that technology support is not treated as an isolated technical function but as an essential part of keeping the business moving.
The Results: Better IT Reliability, Faster Resolution and a More Connected Workforce
The impact of the engagement is reflected in improvements across infrastructure performance, IT support and employee collaboration.
For the IT team, IGI and IHMS report 90% infrastructure uptime and a 40% improvement in issue resolution speed. These outcomes contribute to a more dependable IT environment and greater confidence in the support available to the business.
On the people side, Microsoft Teams has made communication and collaboration easier across the organisation, while Microsoft Copilot has supported more efficient HR processes and alignment with industry best practices.
The Human Capital Management team has also reported improved employee engagement, reflecting the value of having more accessible ways to connect with colleagues and understand their needs.
For Eruteya Ekpekurede, the difference is evident in how employees now interact and share ideas:
“I would highly recommend your solutions as the best in terms of people connectivity and improving our processes. Copilot has helped ensure our processes are top-notch and follow industry best practices, and Microsoft Teams has made it easier to be a global village, where we share ideas and values that improve the workspace environment.”
Ultimately, the transformation has delivered value beyond the technology itself. The IT team has a more responsive support structure, HR has better tools to support its people, and employees have more opportunities to collaborate.
Looking Ahead: Building on the Foundation
For IGI and IHMS, digital transformation is an ongoing journey. The improvements achieved so far provide a foundation for exploring further opportunities to strengthen operations, improve productivity and make better use of technology across the organisation.
Building on the current engagement, potential areas of focus include:
- Expanding AI adoption: Exploring additional applications of Microsoft Copilot across business functions to streamline repetitive tasks, improve access to information and support employee productivity.
- Advancing process automation: Identifying manual and repetitive workflows that could benefit from automation, particularly across HR and internal operations.
- Deepening collaboration: Driving broader adoption of Microsoft Teams and exploring additional capabilities that can improve knowledge sharing and cross-functional engagement.
- Strengthening IT resilience: Continuing to improve infrastructure monitoring, support processes and operational readiness to minimise disruption and support business continuity.
- Developing data-driven operations: Exploring opportunities to make better use of organisational data for reporting, performance monitoring and informed decision-making.
These opportunities represent the next phase of the organisations’ digital transformation journey, building on the technology foundation and capabilities already established.
Building Technology That Works for Your Business and Your People
The experience of IGI PLC and IHMS demonstrates that successful digital transformation is not simply about adopting new technologies. It is about understanding the challenges businesses face, identifying where technology can make a meaningful difference and having the right partner to make that transformation happen.
From strengthening IT operations to improving employee collaboration, Descasio works with organisations to build secure, reliable and business-aligned technology environments that support their ambitions.
Is your organisation looking to strengthen its IT infrastructure, improve employee productivity or move beyond fragmented technology systems?
Let’s build a technology foundation that keeps your business running, empowers your people and prepares your organisation for what comes next.