General News
Operator Tasks Insuring Public to Read their Policies
Mr. Adewunmi Adewole, managing director of Best Deal Insurance Brokers Limited, has recommended the use of insurance brokers for the insuring public whenever they are taking up any insurance policy. This is the most logical way to avoid the pitfalls that may arise from unpaid premiums and other misunderstanding between the insurer and the insured. The veteran insurance practitioner noted that in his three decades of practice, he has learnt that most people don’t read insurance policies. Tracing the sad development he says “I have been on this job for the past 29 years and it’s quite painful to observe that, even among my friends, are those who don’t read their policies.” He advised the public to always be attuned with insurance policies and liaising with their broker to ensure a fair deal. “People should lean to take the insurance contract seriously.”
Adewole noted that, over the years, he has learnt that most agents sometimes don’t go into the nitty-gritty of dealing with the public. Their major concern he says, “is to earn their commission and off they go, leaving the insured at the mercy of the insurance company”.
He called on government to assist the brokers noting that, “most businesses of the underwriters come from the Brokers.” Government should do something for the brokers just like they have done in the area if pension with the setting up of Pension commission (PENCOM).
Lamenting government’s lips service to the industry, the veteran broker wants government to make the insurance of public buildings compulsory in Nigeria .
According to him, “if this is done, insurance business will pick-up and all insurance companies will smile.
He also wants the Ministry of Finance to work with National Assembly in other to enact relevant laws aimed at making insurance for public building compulsory.
“The insurance companies are loosing lots of funds through many unregulated areas. For instance, government ought to enforce the rule that any employer who has at least five people in his payroll must take a group insurance policy. Those who are unable to do so should at least take a pension scheme.”
He frowned at the activities of the unlicensed insurance agents and brokers who are milking the industry dry. According to him, the sector is loosing millions of naira to these unlicensed agents and brokers. “These unscrupulous elements give out fake certificates to people without caring about the implications.” He stressed that in the nation’s licensing offices, “there is no insurance company’s certificate that they cannot procure,” adding that because of the low level of awareness, “even the police cannot distinguish between the original and fake certificates.”
This problem is further compounded by both the lukewarm attitude of government and the intrigues in the industry which he said, “has encouraged the influx of fake and cheap certificates.” Adewole also identified third party insurance, as another area that has fallen to unregulated scene. “What operates now” he says is that motorist pay between N1, 000 to N5, 000 to obtain third party certificate. In his word, “rather than going for these cheap and often fake certificates, people should go for a comprehensive policy”. The advantage of this, he explains, is that “it covers your car, liability against third party and bodily injury or death to the third party” He called for an aggressive collective action against these fake licensing operators, noting that “with comprehensive cover, one is sure that if his car is stolen, the insurance company will pay.”
He blamed government’s insensitivity as one of the problems bedeviling the industry. “For instance, why should government wash its hands off insurance ownership? They sold off their shares in NICON. At the moment, it’s only in the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Company (NAIC) and to some extent, Niger Insurance, that government still has some interests.”
The insurance boss advised the insurance public to always pay their premiums. He likened non payment of premiums to building a house without providing the means or paying the bricklayer,” adding that, “no insurance company will use its own money to pay when the need arises.”
He emphasized that brokers are necessary as they “are trained to guide the insured; noting that “there is a clause in the business which says no premium, no cover.” Once this is applied, he said, most insurance companies are not likely to pay unless it’s a large claim, which might even lead to litigations. One reason why the public should go through the broker, according to him, is that they know the insurance companies in and out.
“That is why the banks are speedily taking up many traditional insurance grounds in addition to their core duties.” What makes this issue of grave concern to all is that Nigeria belongs to the global community. Therefore, it is expected that the rule of he game is applied as it is done elsewhere.
He explained that in the western world, nobody toys with insurance. In South Africa , for instance, insurance practice is highly developed. Besides, even in some West African Countries of which Nigeria is one, insurance business is highly regarded.
In the last decade, it has been established that business in Nigeria is loosing to the smooth operational environment in the sub region including insurance.
He called for an awareness campaign in order to make the public develop interest in insurance. The public also, he says “should brace up to the challenges by insuring all insurable issues such as property, car and even life.”
Interswitch, an integrated payments and digital commerce company, has announced the induction of the third and largest cohort of developer interns into its Developer Academy, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to building world-class technology talent and strengthening Africa’s digital ecosystem.
Selected from a pool of over 20,000 applications, the new cohort emerged through a rigorous multi-stage process involving technical assessments, and interviews. Their induction into the Developer Academy highlights both the scale of interest in software engineering opportunities in Nigeria and Interswitch’s role in nurturing the next generation of highly skilled technology professionals.
Commenting on the initiative, founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, emphasised the importance of taking a long-term, ecosystem-driven approach to talent development.
“At Interswitch, we have always believed in the capacity to see beyond the immediate challenges and focus on long-term impact. While the migration of skilled talent remains a reality, our approach is to actively shape the outcomes by building a strong and sustainable pipeline of technology professionals.
“We are therefore committed to equipping individuals with the capabilities to contribute meaningfully to the broader technology ecosystem, locally and globally, not just for our own needs at Interswitch. In doing so, we are not only strengthening the industry but also reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a source of globally competitive engineering talent,” Elegbe said.
The 9-month programme brings together talents across key engineering tracks, including Backend Development, DevOps, Mobile Development, Frontend Engineering, and Quality Assurance.
Designed as an intensive and structured learning experience, the Developer Academy combines theoretical instruction with real-world application, equipping participants with the skills required to thrive in an increasingly global and competitive technology landscape.
Also commenting, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Interswitch, Franklin Ali, said: “The Developer Academy reflects our long-term commitment to building talent at scale. We are equipping these young professionals not just with technical skills, but with the mindset, discipline, and adaptability required to thrive in diverse environments.
“Whether they build their careers within Interswitch, contribute to the local ecosystem, or explore global opportunities, they represent the strength and potential of Nigerian talent and carry forward the standard of excellence we are committed to building.”
Dr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, accountant-general of the federation, has warned that the federal government may reject loan facilities from the World Bank if delays in approval and disbursement persist, saying prolonged timelines could undermine the country’s willingness to proceed with such arrangements.
The warning was contained in a press statement issued on Friday by Bawa Mokwa, director of press and public relations at the office of the accountant-general of the federation.
Ogunjimi, who spoke in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a World Bank delegation led by Mrs Treed Lane, stressed that Nigeria expects timely processing of funding requests, given that the facilities are loans and not grants.
He said, “If approvals take more than six months, the Nigerian Government may no longer honour such arrangements,” highlighting concerns over bureaucratic delays in accessing development financing.
The AGF noted that as a responsible borrower, Nigeria should not be subjected to prolonged approval processes that could affect project execution timelines and broader development objectives.
He therefore urged the World Bank to “expedite the approval and disbursement of project funds to Nigeria” to support the country’s priorities.
Ogunjimi emphasised that the loans carry repayment obligations, making it imperative that disbursement processes align with project schedules and fiscal planning frameworks.
He further disclosed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had begun addressing key issues raised earlier by the World Bank, particularly in public financial management and audit reporting.
According to him, the 2023 Audit Report would be submitted to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation within two weeks, while work on the 2024 and 2025 audit reports was already underway.
The AGF also assured the delegation that steps were being taken to resolve concerns around the digitalisation of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, noting that obsolete infrastructure was being replaced with modern technology to improve efficiency and service delivery.
He said the reforms were part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and the overall public financial management system in Nigeria.
Earlier in her remarks, the World Bank delegation leader, congratulated Ogunjimi on his recent appointment as African chairman of the Association of Accountants-General.
Lane also urged the Office of the Accountant-General to sustain its digitalisation drive and ensure the timely presentation of financial statements to the Auditor-General, noting that such measures were critical to achieving seamless public financial management processes.
The World Bank earlier explained why about six loans worth $2bn, signed for Nigeria in 2024, are yet to be disbursed nearly a year after the bank’s approval.
This came amid recent reports that the World Bank approved a total of $8.40bn (N12.89tn) in fresh loans to the country over the past two years, based on data from the bank’s official website.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) approved a $61 million financing package for the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) to expand access to affordable credit for women-owned and women-led businesses across Nigeria, particularly in the agricultural sector.
The financing comprises three instruments: a $50 million gender-focused line of credit; an $8 million concessional facility under the Agri-Food SME Catalytic Financing Mechanism (ACFM); and a $3 million grant under the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, funded by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi).
This package demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to private sector-led growth by combining long-term financing, concessional resources, partial credit guarantees, and capacity-building support. It will be chanelled through DBN’s network of participating financial institutions to strengthen MSME lending and advance Nigeria’s inclusive economic transformation, particularly through women entrepreneurship and agricultural development.
A defining feature of this operation is its strong gender focus, with more than 95 percent of the total financing earmarked for WSMEs. This targeted approach aligns with the objectives of AFAWA and ACFM and the Bank’s broader commitment to narrowing the gender financing gap in Africa. The performance-based incentives under the AFAWA programme are expected to expand the number of eligible women-owned enterprises while increasing the share of women-focused lending within DBN’s MSME portfolio.
Commenting on the approval, Dr Abdul Kamara, Director General of the African Development Bank Group Nigeria Country Office, said: “Women entrepreneurs are one of Nigeria’s greatest economic assets and one of its most underleveraged. This operation reflects the African Development Bank’s commitment to unlocking economic opportunities for women.
“By working through DBN to reach women-owned businesses in agriculture, clean energy, healthcare, and beyond, we are not just expanding access to credit; the Bank is investing in the engine of Nigeria’s inclusive economic transformation.”
The approval further deepens a longstanding partnership between the African Development Bank and the Development Bank of Nigeria, dating back to the AfDB’s role in DBN’s establishment through start-up equity, long-term financing, and governance support, alongside the Federal Government of Nigeria and other development partners.
The operation aligns with the African Development Bank’s Four Cardinal Points framework, particularly the pillar on harnessing demographic transformation for economic development, as well as the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024-2033), which prioritises inclusive growth, private sector development, and gender equality.
It also supports Nigeria’s Country Strategy Paper (2025–2030), which emphasizes gender- and youth-inclusive green growth, and complements national priorities on entrepreneurship, inclusive development, and women’s economic empowerment.
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