Continental Reinsurance reported consolidated earnings results for the full year ended December 31, 2017. Consolidated gross premium for the group posted a growth of 32% up from NGN 22.4 billion in 2016 to NGN 29.7 billion, mainly driven by strong aggregated growth from its operations in Africa. Reassuringly, underwriting profit, despite mixed performances at regional level, shot up by 213% to NGN 1.3 billion from NGN 414 million in 2016 buoyed by the group's increasing focus on underwriting discipline and benign claims experience in the principal Nigerian market. Profit before tax remained positive at NGN 3.6 billion though lower by 23% than that for 2016 due to the non-recurrence of the substantial foreign currency revaluations that boosted the prior year result. The group's results were bolstered by a strong contribution of investment and other income which at NGN 6.6 billion reflects a healthy 37% increase over 2016.