From left: Head of Internal Compliance, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr. Tokunbo Atanda; Deputy Executive Secretary of the Council, Dr Olugbenga Falade; Managing Editor of Champion Newspapers Limited (CNL), Mr Kelvin Egerue; President of NCRIB, Mrs. Ekeoma Ezeibe; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of CNL, Dr Nwadiuto Iheakanwa; Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NCRIB, Mr Tope Adaramola; Human Resources Manager of CNL, Mr Nelson Ibemere; and Editor of Daily Champion, Mr Sopuruchi Onwuka; when a delegation from Champion Newspapers paid a courtesy visit on NCRIB in Lagos…PHOTOS: CHINYERE IKEANYI.
Sopuruchi Onwuka, Editor
The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has unveiled a strategic partnership with state governments to drive insurance penetration across Nigeria through a unified industry approach aimed at expanding access to insurance services and supporting economic growth.
Speaking in Lagos during a courtesy visit by the management of Champion Newspapers Limited to the council’s headquarters in Yaba, NCRIB President, Mrs. Ekeoma Ezeibe, said the initiative aligns with the implementation of the newly enacted Nigerian Insurance Reform Act (NIRA) 2025, which she described as a major opportunity to transform the insurance sector.
She said insurance remains a critical instrument for stimulating growth across key sectors of the economy, stressing that strong governance, improved service standards and closer collaboration among industry stakeholders would be essential to achieving the objectives of the new law.
Mrs. Ezeibe explained that the council has developed a One Insurance Industry programme to coordinate industry-wide efforts toward expanding insurance coverage and enforcing the provisions of the reform law.
According to her, the programme seeks to bring together brokers, insurers and state governments under a common framework to extend insurance services to rural, remote and underserved communities where penetration remains low.
As part of the initiative, she announced that NCRIB, in partnership with state governments, is launching a nationwide penetration campaign starting with the NCRIB-Abia Insurance Marketplace, which will serve as the pilot project for the nationwide programme.
She clarified that the selection of Abia State was based purely on developmental considerations rather than politics, citing the state’s growing industrial renaissance, the need to strengthen grassroots insurance awareness and the governor’s background in the financial services sector.
Mrs. Ezeibe disclosed that the project is being implemented in collaboration with the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) and will establish a technology-driven marketplace connecting insurance brokers, insurers and consumers while promoting micro-insurance products tailored to local communities.
She noted that the initiative would accommodate every segment of the insurance industry and leverage digital technology to improve accessibility, monitor performance and measure the programme’s impact across participating states.
According to her, plans are already in place to replicate the successful implementation of the Abia pilot in Kano State before extending the programme to other states across the federation.
“The One Insurance Industry programme is designed to unify the industry in driving insurance penetration and ensuring that the benefits of insurance reach every part of the country,” she said.
Mrs. Ezeibe reiterated NCRIB’s commitment to positioning insurance as a major catalyst for business growth, economic stability and national development, describing the council as the largest distribution network within Nigeria’s insurance industry.
She also called for stronger media participation in promoting insurance awareness and the implementation of NIRA 2025.
Commending Champion Newspapers for its longstanding contributions to the insurance sector, Mrs. Ezeibe paid tribute to the newspaper’s founding publisher, the late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, for providing a platform that consistently highlighted insurance issues over several decades.
She urged the newspaper’s management to restore its dedicated insurance column, noting that sustained public education through the media would play a vital role in advancing the objectives of the Insurance Reform Act and increasing the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Responding, the Managing Director and Editor-in -Chief of Champion Newspapers Limited, Dr. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, praised NCRIB’s leadership in advancing key reforms and policy initiatives within the insurance industry.
She described Mrs. Ezeibe as one of the most resilient and influential women in Nigeria’s insurance sector, expressing confidence that the One Insurance Industry initiative would significantly enhance insurance awareness and contribute to national economic development.
Dr. Iheakanwa reaffirmed Champion Newspapers’ commitment to sustaining its partnership with NCRIB and other stakeholders in the insurance industry, saying the newspaper would continue to support initiatives that promote the growth of the sector in line with the vision of its founding publisher.
For a better society
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
