By Taiye Olayemi

The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) says the 2025 Education Conference of the West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) will highlight insurers’ role in tackling climate change.

NIA is organising the programme on behalf of Nigeria’s insurance market.

Mrs Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, in a statement on Tuesday, said the conference would promote regional cooperation.

She said the conference, scheduled for October in Lagos, would equip insurers with tools to manage the evolving climate landscape.

Nwachukwu added that the meeting will address climate-resilient insurance models, regulatory frameworks, digital claims processing innovations, green underwriting, regional collaboration, and public-private partnerships.

She noted other issues include premium discounts for low-carbon assets and government-backed reinsurance pools to strengthen the industry’s response to climate risks.

The conference will also discuss insurers’ role in safeguarding communities and economies, while aligning with international climate commitments, including the Paris Agreement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting will bring together delegates from Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other West African countries.

NAN also reports that the theme of the conference is ‘The West African Insurer in the Face of Climate Change’.

According to Nwachukwu, delegates will gain insights into best practices from Anglophone West Africa and engage with leaders shaping climate-aware insurance in the region.

“Confirmed speakers include Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), who will deliver the keynote address.

“Also expected are Mr Bockarie Kaloko, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Finance; Mr Wole Oshin, Group Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc; and Dr Abiba Zakariah, Ghana’s Acting Commissioner of Insurance.

“Other participants include regulators, government officials, industry professionals, and development agencies,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo