General News
Pathway to Taking Insurance to Greater Heights
Insurance business in Nigeria is almost a century old, yet, its level of growth and acceptability among the insuring public is still unbelievably low. Why? Expert’s opinion is unanimous in condemning the practice of operators in sticking to their familiar old pattern without minding the culture and operational environment. wilson itsisor takes a look at the industry and the probability of exploring new grounds in order to take the industry to the next level.
Why does the insuring public have unexplainable apathy towards insurance practice? Reason: the operators have failed to be proactive by exploring new areas and breaking barriers.
First, in the mode of practice over the years, a lot appears to be unclear to the insuring public around whom the business itself is woven. Among these are the technical languages with which most insurance businesses are transacted. This has been further worsened by the activities of a few operators who repudiate from paying claims when the need arises.
Interestingly, however, among all existing businesses, insurance is one that has the greatest potential for growth. This is traceable to the many untapped areas which operators have not looked into. From the operational viewpoint of operators, their greatest undoing is keeping to their old traditional methods some of which the public have lost confidence in.
Industry watchers are of the opinion that the operators are not doing enough in new products development. For instance, Nigeria ’s population is over 150 million people. Yet, over the years, operators have struck to the traditional Life Insurance Policy which accounts for less than 5 percent of the population. Also, operators ought to work on government to enforce the law that any employer who employs up to five percent ought to take insurance cover.
According to an analyst, Ambrose Umosor, a dynamic sector as insurance should be able to brainstorm and work out policies that will accommodate at least 60percent of the population. “But, can the industry grow if operators fail to explore every conceivable opportunity to raise Life Assurance beyond its present low level?”
However, some keen observers have blamed poverty and ignorance on the part of the people for the slow pace of development. But to what extent can the operators contribute in alleviating this poverty and ignorance? Here lies some of the problems confronting the insurance. If identified problems are not frontally addressed, the likelihood is that the status quo will remain.
Umosor posits that insurance practitioners should do extensive enlightenment, spread over every facet of life in order to break the barrier of ignorance to the growth of the industry.
Still on exploring new grounds, analysts say that that less than 10 percent of existing properties belonging to the various tiers of government are insured. Every where you go, there are various government properties belonging to federal, states and local governments which are not covered with insurance policies. Yet, operators seem to be satisfied with the low level of such properties that are presently covered by insurance.
Analysts suggest that insurance operators should liaise with relevant government agencies to identify all such government properties up to the ward levels at the local government. They opined that when concerted efforts are made by them, the dividends of such efforts will not only enhance the scope of business but also contribute to raising industry standard.
In addition, research findings show that in Nigeria , household items are usually not insurable as it is done in the developed nations. Mr. Shola Olafimiyan explained that a sector like insurance with a greater potential for growth, should be active in evolving ways out of the doldrums.” What does it take to get all Nigerians, for instance, who own household items to insure them against theft and fire?”
Olafimiyan said: “It takes a proactive insurance sector working with relevant government agencies to formulate, amend and change policies towards the enhancement of the insurance business”.
Another area which has remained largely untapped is motor vehicle insurance. According to sources at the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), over 70percent of vehicles on our roads are not insured. Out of these less than 30percent of vehicles that are insured, majority of them carry third class insurance instead of comprehensive policies.
Besides, a large percentage of these vehicles carry fake insurance certificates. Mr. Ambrose Umosor explained that everyday in Nigeria ; thousands of new vehicles are bought, noting that if an existing law says that all vehicles must be compulsorily insured, what stops the operators from deploying all their resources to ensure that this is fully complied with.
He blamed this slow pace of development on the winner-takes-all syndrome among operators which forbade them from working as a united front to raise the standard. For instance, analysts believe that if the operators, individually and collectively, through the Nigerian Insurance Association and other professional groups, work hand-in-hand with NAICOM, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly, the insurance coast will be further enlarged.
Industry watchers believe that vehicle insurance alone, if properly harnessed, is enough to cater for the greater needs of operators. But because of the several leakages arising from the lukewarm stand of operators, the industry is still shrouded in myth and mystery.
Apart form public buildings and the unexplored vehicle insurance cover; the uninsured private buildings in Nigeria , especially story buildings are other areas which operators have not looked into.
Recently, the Lagos State House of Assembly proposed a bill which will see to the compulsory insurance of story buildings. This was proposed to nip the cases of collapsed buildings in the bud.
Concerned watchers opined again that a proactive and innovative industry should have tapped into this area in order to enhance its growth. Unfortunately, insurance operators have struck to their old grounds, many of which have failed to develop beyond their status even after several decades.
Notwithstanding stakeholders have been challenged to rise to their responsibility and raise the standard of the industry. This becomes critical, especially now that the consolidation wind is still blowing across the industry. The good performance of insurance stocks on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) now is an indication of the positive effects of the reforms.
Therefore, if other factors militating against enhanced standard are addressed, the insurance industry may be the most vibrant in our economy.
Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), has said that there are plans for Nigeria to begin to generate electricity from nuclear sources.
Mr Anthony Godwin Ekedegwa, chief executive, NAEC stated this when he recently visited Mr Umar Yusuf Girei, acting managing director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA),in Abuja.
He was at NIWA’s office to solicit the support of NIWA in achieving the numerous advantages of using nuclear energy technology in the country.
According to him, the partnership of critical stakeholders in Nigeria will position the country well in developing and maintaining its nuclear power plant.
The NAEC chief said Nigeria intends to begin the generation of electricity from nuclear sources instead of fossil-based power plants and hydro-based power plants, stressing that for Nigeria to develop, there is a need for the country to diversify its energy needs.
In his remarks, Mr Girei assured NAEC of his agency’s readiness to collaborate on the advancement of a nuclear power plant in Nigeria.
He promised the full support of NAEC for the success of a nuclear power plant in the country, saying that as the organisation saddled with the responsibility of regulating and developing Nigeria Inland Waterways, his entity is strategically positioned to play a critical role in the federal government’s quest for sustainable energy through the new technology.
In a powerful call for continental solidarity, Ralph Mupita, Group CEO of MTN, has asserted that the future of the African continent depends on the dismantling of xenophobic barriers.
Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation (KMF) Winter Seminar, Mupita framed migration as a fundamental characteristic of the African identity, urging South Africa and other nations to embrace integration over exclusion.
He emphasised that the survival of African enterprises depends on a borderless approach to trade and talent. “The digital economy we’re fast moving to knows no borders.” Mupita declared, noting that the mindset of exclusion is an outdated relic that hinders the continent’s ability to compete globally.
He argued that for Africa to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the psychological barriers of xenophobia must be eradicated.
Providing a stark financial justification for this stance, Mupita highlighted MTN’s own operational reality as a blueprint for Pan-African success. “We earn about 80 to 82% of our earnings from outside South Africa,” he revealed, illustrating that the prosperity of South African-born entities is inextricably linked to their success across the rest of the continent. This figure underscores the interdependence of African economies and the danger of isolationist policies.
Mupita’s stance was strong advocating for unity: “The future of Africa will not be determined by the borders that separate us, but by the economic opportunities that connect us. Governments must set predictable policy and regulations.
Businesses will follow and allocate resources and capital. Together, we can build a continent where opportunity is more evenly shared and prosperity is more widely created.”
Analysts observing the seminar noted that Mupita’s remarks come at a critical juncture where economic volatility often fuels nationalist rhetoric. By tying the fight against xenophobia to the balance sheet, MTN is positioning Pan-Africanism beyond the moral imperative to its function as a business necessity. The CEO stressed that “Migration is part of who we are,” suggesting that the movement of people is the primary engine for the movement of capital and innovation.
Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the Federal Government and the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to suspend the proposed increase in Nigeria’s mandatory pension contribution from 18 per cent to 21 per cent, warning that the policy would raise the cost of doing business, threaten jobs and undermine enterprise sustainability at a time of mounting economic pressures.
Dr. Chinyere Almona, director general of the LCCI, said while strengthening retirement security remains an important policy objective, increasing mandatory pension contributions by three percentage points would impose additional financial burdens on businesses already grappling with high borrowing costs, persistent inflation, foreign exchange volatility, rising energy prices and multiple taxes.
According to the chamber, the proposed increase comes at a period when many businesses, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), are struggling to remain profitable amid Nigeria’s challenging operating environment.
The LCCI noted that Nigeria’s existing mandatory pension contribution rate of 18 per cent comprising 10 per cent by employers and 8 per cent by employees is already broadly aligned with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 18.8 per cent.
It argued that raising the contribution to approximately 21 per cent would place Nigeria above several comparable economies, including the United Kingdom, where mandatory contributions stand at 8 per cent; the United States at 12.4 per cent; Kenya at 12 per cent, subject to earnings caps; and South Africa, where there is no equivalent mandatory private-sector pension contribution.
The chamber warned that implementing the proposed increase would significantly raise employment costs for employers, discourage new recruitment, constrain wage growth and place disproportionate pressure on MSMEs, which account for a substantial share of employment in Nigeria.
According to the LCCI, the higher payroll obligations could also reduce Nigeria’s competitiveness as an investment destination, encourage non-compliance with pension regulations and push more businesses into the informal sector.
“A stronger pension system cannot be built on weaker businesses,” the chamber stated, stressing that economic sustainability and business growth remain critical to expanding pension coverage over the long term.
The LCCI therefore called on the Federal Government to defer the proposal until a comprehensive Nigeria-specific actuarial and economic impact assessment is conducted to determine its implications for businesses, workers and the broader economy.
It also urged policymakers to engage in extensive consultations with organised private sector groups, labour unions and other key stakeholders before implementing any changes to the country’s pension contribution framework.
According to the chamber, the government’s immediate priority should be restoring business confidence, preserving existing jobs, encouraging investment and expanding the formal economy, which it described as the most sustainable pathway to improving retirement savings.
As an alternative to increasing contribution rates, the LCCI advised PenCom to focus on developing more innovative investment instruments capable of generating stronger returns on pension assets.
The chamber said improving investment performance would enhance contributors’ retirement savings without imposing additional financial obligations on employers and employees already facing difficult economic conditions.
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