NIA inaugurates technical committees on agriculture, reinsurance to drive food security
The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) has inaugurated two specialised technical committees, the Agricultural Insurance Technical Committee and the Reinsurance Technical Committee, to strengthen industry capacity, build technical expertise, and promote best practices across specialised risk segments.
The additions expand the association’s total technical working groups from 14 to 16.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Bola Odukale, director-general of the NIA, described the technical committees as vital engine rooms for advancing professional practice across the insurance sector.
She noted that the setup of both bodies followed strong representations from Governing Council members and broader market stakeholders who identified an urgent need for dedicated leadership to tackle emerging risks in food production and risk-retention capacity.
According to Odukale, the Agricultural Insurance Technical Committee will focus on deepening specialised underwriting techniques and streamlining claims management processes within the agricultural value chain.
The move aims to protect farming investments against climate-induced shocks, floods, and yield failures, thereby safeguarding national food security and encouraging commercial lending to the primary sector.
Similarly, the Reinsurance Technical Committee will address critical reinsurance arrangements and market practices, aiming to boost local underwriting retention while optimising risk-sharing mechanisms among primary operators.
As part of the inauguration, committee members were briefed on their operational mandates before holding elections to establish their executive leadership.
Leonard Okoroafor of AIICO Insurance Plc emerged as chairman of the Agricultural Insurance Technical Committee, supported by Baron Omiji of Guinea Insurance Plc as deputy chairman, Adebayo Olukolajo of Leadway Assurance as secretary, and Ndidi Nkeonyeasua Olagunju of Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) as assistant secretary.
For the Reinsurance Technical Committee, Helen Osadunkwu of Cornerstone Insurance Plc was elected chairman, alongside Ochuko Efenure of Zenith Insurance Plc as deputy chairman, Uwem Offong of NSIA Insurance as secretary, and Otoikhila Godskingdom of Emple Insurance as assistant secretary.
The NIA reaffirmed that the establishment of both platforms reinforces its commitment to developing institutional capacity, driving market collaboration, and implementing standards required to sustain growth across Nigeria’s evolving insurance landscape.
