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Brokers Fret over Proposed Insurance Law on Capital

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The stronghold of insurance brokers over the underwriting arm appears threatened, going by the content of the proposed law on insurance practice, which seeks to question the independence status which they have had over time.  On the remote side, insurers have made spirited attempts to bring them under control without success. One area that has raised dusts between the two arms is the issue of ‘no premium, no cover’
Industry watchers believe that the greatest threat coming the way of brokers is the proposal of the Prof. Joe  Irukwu – led committee on the review of insurance laws in Nigeria.
The recommendation which has reportedly been submitted to the federal government, is seeking to raise the minimum capital base of insurance brokers at N400million as against the current N10million. According to Mr. .Edward Okusor, chief executive officer of Afromart brokers “this development, if allowed to succeed, would impact negatively on the professional standard of the brokerage arm. He added that the N10million capital requirement has not been easy for the brokers, therefore raising it at this astronomical level would definitely compound the operational environment” He explained that brokers control over 70 percent of the insurance volume of business. Any thing that affects it negatively would certainly cause sweeping effects in the entire industry. For managing director of Best Deal insurance brokers, Mr. Adewunmi Adewole, rather than formulating laws that would threaten the brokerage arm, government should think of enhancing by empowering it just the way it did to the pension industry with the establishment of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM)
It was gathered that in addition to the recommendation to increase the capital base, the laws that grant sovereignty to the brokers would also be reviewed. Commenting on the issue, Prof.Irukwu disclosed that the present insurance laws which has separate framework for some operators may be consolidated into single framework legislation. The implication of this is that a central body may emerge which would break the monopoly of the National Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), as presently constituted.
Already, the proposal has been causing unease within the camp of insurance brokers. Reacting to the proposal, President of the council, Mr. Teslim Sanusi said insurance brokerage does not require the kind of regulations being proposed. He said the arm is similar to other professions like law and advertising among others and they do not require any minimum capital requirement to operate.
The NCRIB boss threatened that the council would oppose any law aimed at destabilizing the oneness of purpose of brokers. He added that such move would be counter productive. Sanusi stressed that the proposed law as it stands now, also seeks to make membership of the council voluntary as against the provisions of the Insurance Act 2003 which makes it compulsory.
Irukwu had earlier explained that the proposed law made provisions for the entrenchment of corporate governance in the profession as well as provisions for dealing with insurance fraud, especially in the area of ‘whistle- blowing.
It would be recalled that insurers in the past have complained over the dominance of brokers in the determination of insurance business which has often led to the crippling of underwriting profit. According to t Mr. G.U.S. Wiggle managing director of Linkage Assurance, at a BGL forum, brokers have ensured a situation which has made premium payment by corporate customers hardly received on time. The result, he said is that the net operating cash flow for insurance companies are low, averaging between 0.5 percent and 19.7 percent. He added that there have been situations when underwriting risks mature while premiums are yet to be received.
Industry watchers believe that the proposed law may confer on THE National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the expected status as a regulator of insurance, carrying similar powers as that of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 


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Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

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Aliko Dangote
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Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, plans to dedicate one-third of his wealth to charity as part of his succession plan, Halima Dangote, his daughter, has revealed.

Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

Aliko Dangote

Halima, a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday, saying the billionaire had secured the support of his family to commit 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $35.1 billion, meaning one-third of his current wealth would be worth about $11.7 billion if his fortune remains at that level.

Halima explained that her father views philanthropy as a key part of his legacy and has incorporated it into the family’s long-term succession plans.

She said Dangote had structured his estate to ensure that charitable giving continues across generations, particularly in areas such as healthcare and education.

“He sort of put all the structure in place whereby we focus a lot on health and education. He actually donated 25 per cent to the foundation. If you look at it, it is what we call in Sharia Code in Islam; it means he has donated 33 per cent of his whole inheritance to his foundation,” she said.

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Halima added that Dangote believes giving back is central to the success of his businesses and the family’s values.

She said the billionaire asked her, her two sisters, and his mother to sign the agreement allowing 33 per cent of his inheritance to be dedicated to humanitarian causes.

The planned donation builds on Dangote’s longstanding philanthropic activities through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which was established in 1994.

According to Halima, the foundation received an endowment of $1.25 billion about a decade ago and has since received an additional $700 million in funding.

She said about 70 per cent of the foundation’s spending goes to programmes in Nigeria, while 20 per cent supports projects across Africa, with the remaining funds directed to initiatives in other parts of the world.

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The foundation’s interventions focus on healthcare, education, nutrition, and humanitarian support, including partnerships that contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus in Africa.

Dangote’s planned charitable commitment adds to increasing global attention on billionaire philanthropy.

Although the proposed 33 per cent allocation is below the 50 per cent commitment associated with the Giving Pledge, it would rank among the largest philanthropic commitments announced by an African billionaire.

Earlier this year, Dangote was named among the world’s most influential philanthropists by TIME magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognising the impact of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which reportedly spends more than ₦50 billion annually on programmes across Africa.

 

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), has said that there are plans for Nigeria to begin to generate electricity from nuclear sources.

Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

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.

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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.

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Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

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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.

Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

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.

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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.

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