Algeria Launches Insurance Innovation and AI Hub in Sidi Abdallah
Algeria's insurance sector inaugurates a new innovation and artificial intelligence hub in Sidi Abdallah, aiming to modernize the industry and strengthen collaboration between insurers, universities, and research centers.
Sidi Abdallah, January 2026 – Algeria's insurance industry has taken a new step toward technological modernization with the launch of an Innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub at the Chahid Abdelhafid-Ihaddaden Scientific and Technological Pole in the new city of Sidi Abdallah.
The initiative was unveiled by the Algerian Union of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies (UAR) in partnership with specialized academic and technical institutions, according to the Algerian Press Service (APS).
Strategic Vision for Digital Transformation
The launch was supervised by Professor Kamel Baddari, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, who presented the new hub as a concrete expression of Algeria's push toward a digital, innovative, knowledge-based economy, aligned with the government's program and the development vision of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for the 2024–2029 period, as part of Algeria's National AI Strategy 2024-2030.
In his remarks, Baddari underlined the strategic importance of mobilizing national skills trained in Algerian universities and transforming that human capital into an engine of innovation capable of supporting economic development.
Core Objectives and Structure
At the heart of the initiative is a practical objective: bringing university research closer to real industry needs. According to APS, the hub is designed to stimulate innovation within the insurance sector by integrating AI applications, promoting applied research, and enabling experimentation with new digital solutions.
The project also aims to tighten cooperation between the university system and the financial sector through specialized training, the recruitment and professional integration of specialized students into insurance companies, and a supportive environment that allows young graduates to propose and develop innovative digital tools directly serving insurers.
Institutional Partners
The hub was established through a formal convention signed by a wide range of institutions and leaders. On the academic front, the agreement includes the National Higher School of Mathematics (ENSM), represented by its director Ahmed Medeghri; the National Higher School of Artificial Intelligence (ENSIA), represented by Abdelmalek Bachir; and the Higher School of Computer Science (ESI), represented by Mouloud Koudil.
The convention also encompasses research and innovation actors, notably the Center for Research in Applied Mathematics, represented by Ahmed Semri; the industrial incubator "Taus Innovation Center", represented by Abdelghani Sefal; and the Algerian Financial Innovation Laboratory "Algeria Finlab", represented by Ikram Eddine Hichour. The agreement was also signed by Youcef Benmicia, President of the UAR, confirming the sector's commitment to structuring innovation through long-term institutional cooperation.
Graduate Pathways and Future Development
Speaking on behalf of the UAR, the organization's General Delegate Abdelhakim Berrah said the hub will support the development of two complementary graduate pathways: one focused on administrative and managerial skills, and another centered on specialized expertise in innovation. He added that the broader challenge is the emergence of a national AI aligned with Algeria's societal specificities, values, and interests.
According to APS, the UAR is pursuing the development of a reference framework for new professions in the insurance sector over a three to five year horizon. In parallel, the Union plans to launch structuring initiatives to support innovation, including the creation of an investment fund and an institute dedicated to innovation management, with the aim of strengthening the connection between the university ecosystem and economic enterprises.
For his part, UAR President Youcef Benmicia described the hub as part of a broader effort to create a complementary space between academic institutions and professional actors, enabling innovation to be structured while supporting a deep transformation of insurance professions. He added that the initiative aims to encourage the emergence of solutions adapted to the specificities of the insurance sector, with the ambition of supporting managers and executives in line with Algeria's major national economic orientations.