***say insurance sector witnessing positive revolution

A parliamentary group and civil society organisation on Thursday applauded the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, for what it described as the transparent implementation of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act, 2025, saying the insurance sector is witnessing a positive revolution under the new law.

Speaking at a world press conference in Abuja, the Parliamentary Support Network said NIIRA 2025, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had moved from legislation to implementation through recapitalisation, stronger policyholder protection and renewed enforcement of compulsory insurance.

In a statement signed by Amb. Muhammad Abdulrazaq and Comr. Adams Umoren, the group said: “We also recognise the role being played by the Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, in the implementation of the reforms.

“The Parliamentary Support Network therefore considers his industry experience relevant to the task before NAICOM at a time when the sector is undergoing significant regulatory and structural change,” it added.

The group said Mr Omosehin brings more than three decades of experience spanning underwriting, risk management, corporate restructuring and insurance administration, including service as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Nigeria Life Assurance Company Limited and as Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association before his appointment in 2024.

It commended President Tinubu and the National Assembly for enacting the Act, which repealed and consolidated earlier insurance laws and introduced stronger provisions on capital, risk-based supervision, corporate governance, consumer protection and regulatory enforcement.

“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly for their roles in the passage and enactment of NIIRA 2025,” the network said.

“NIIRA provides a unified legal framework while giving the regulator greater capacity to respond to emerging risks. It also provides for stronger protection of policyholders, including the establishment of the Insurance Policyholders Protection Fund,” the statement continued.

On early gains, the network cited NAICOM’s August 2026 announcement that a twelve-month recapitalisation exercise had been completed, describing it as a major step toward a stronger and more resilient industry.

It also noted the commencement of the Insurance Policyholders Protection Fund and the October 2025 inauguration of a joint committee with the Federal Road Safety Corps to enforce compulsory third-party motor insurance.

The group said the Commission had further engaged government institutions and private-sector stakeholders on products for the maritime, petroleum and agricultural sectors, developments it said showed that the reform was taking practical effect.

“Since the commencement of NIIRA, there have been visible steps towards putting its provisions into effect,” the network said.

“NAICOM announced in August 2026 that the twelve-month exercise had been successfully completed, describing it as a major step towards building a stronger, more resilient and adequately capitalised insurance industry.

“These developments indicate that NIIRA is moving from legislation to implementation,” it added.

The network acknowledged that new capital requirements place heavy demands on operators and that disagreements over fees, compliance and interpretation are inevitable, but insisted that no company should be above regulation and no regulator above scrutiny.

It said disputes should be settled through evidence, due process and institutional accountability rather than media campaigns.

It expressed concern over the cases of NICON Insurance Plc and Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation, both under liquidation after failing to meet minimum capital requirements, and over their petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleging irregularities in the recapitalisation process.

NAICOM has rejected the claims and said supplying information requested by the EFCC does not amount to indictment.

“No company should be above regulation. At the same time, no regulator should be above scrutiny. The appropriate response to disagreement is evidence, due process and institutional accountability,” the group said.

“We believe the allegations should be subjected to proper investigation and due process rather than trial by media.

“However, petitions to law-enforcement agencies must not become a mechanism for frustrating the implementation of a law duly enacted by the National Assembly and assented to by the President,” it stated.

In its recommendations, the network urged all operators to comply with NIIRA 2025, called on NAICOM to continue applying the law transparently and without discrimination, and asked the EFCC to examine any properly lodged allegations independently.

It said policyholder protection must remain central and that the industry cannot return to the practices the Act was enacted to end.

The group urged stakeholders to support the lawful implementation of the reform under the leadership of the Commissioner.

“NAICOM should continue to apply the law transparently, consistently and without discrimination. Regulatory decisions should be supported by clear documentation and communicated appropriately to affected stakeholders,” the network said.

“We urge all stakeholders, including the leadership of NAICOM under Commissioner for Insurance Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, to remain focused on the implementation of the law, protection of policyholders and strengthening of the Nigerian insurance industry.

“With institutional discipline and respect for the law, the Nigerian insurance industry can emerge stronger, more resilient and better positioned to serve the Nigerian economy,” it concluded.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nasarawa State Branch, has congratulated the government and people of the state on its 30th anniversary, acknowledging successive administrations’ contributions to healthcare development, particularly the ongoing expansion of specialist services and revitalisation of health facilities under Governor Abdullahi Sule.

The Chairman of the association, Dr Meshi C. Emmanuel, in his Independence Day address on Friday marking Nigeria’s 66th anniversary and Nasarawa’s 30 years of creation, said the milestones provided an opportunity to celebrate achievements, reflect on challenges and renew commitment to a healthier and more prosperous society.

On healthcare development in Nasarawa, he acknowledged the contributions of successive administrations, while noting that the administration of Governor Abdullahi A. Sule had continued efforts to upgrade healthcare facilities, strengthen primary healthcare services, recruit health personnel and expand specialist services.

He specifically cited the development of Specialist Hospital, Akwanga, including a trauma centre and modern diagnostic facilities, as well as the transition of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, into the Federal University Teaching Hospital.

According to him, the development of the Federal University Teaching Hospital provides an opportunity to expand tertiary and specialist healthcare services in the state, but he stressed the need for continuity and further investment.

Meshi said the anniversaries provided an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the journey of the country and state, while renewing their commitment to building a healthier, more peaceful and prosperous society.

“Independence is more than a date on the calendar. It is a reminder of our collective responsibility to build a nation where freedom translates into dignity, opportunity, security and a better quality of life for every citizen,” he said.

He stressed that healthcare must remain at the centre of national development, noting that a child with access to quality healthcare has a better opportunity to learn and develop, while a healthy workforce contributes more effectively to the economy.

The NMA chairman commended Nigerian doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, community health workers and other healthcare professionals for their continued service despite difficult working conditions, saying their sacrifices deserved more than recognition.

“Recognition alone is not enough. The healthcare workforce must be supported with the right environment, equipment, remuneration, training and policies necessary to provide safe and effective care,” Dr. Meshi said.

He called for stronger primary healthcare facilities, better referral systems, adequately equipped secondary and tertiary hospitals, improved emergency medical services and greater access to specialist care across the state.

Dr. Meshi also urged greater attention to maternal and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, mental health, preventive medicine and health education, stressing that healthcare should not depend on a person’s location or income.

“Healthcare should not be a privilege determined by geography or income. A citizen living in a rural community deserves the same dignity of care as someone living in an urban centre,” he said.

On the movement of health professionals abroad, the NMA chairman said the solution was not to restrict doctors and other health workers from seeking opportunities elsewhere, but to create conditions that would make Nigeria and Nasarawa attractive places to work and build sustainable careers.

“The solution lies not in restricting professionals, but in making Nigeria and Nasarawa a place where talented health workers can thrive,” he said, identifying infrastructure, professional development, research, technology and decent working conditions as key areas requiring attention.

Dr. Meshi urged citizens to take greater responsibility for their health through regular medical checks, immunisation, proper nutrition, physical activity, responsible use of medicines and early presentation at health facilities, while calling on the medical profession to uphold ethics, competence, compassion and accountability.

He said the NMA remained committed to constructive engagement with government and other stakeholders, urging authorities to view healthcare investment as an investment in human capital and the future of Nigeria and Nasarawa State.

“Let this 66th and 30th anniversary of Nigeria and Nasarawa State therefore be more than a celebration of our past. Let it be a renewed commitment to the Nigeria and Nasarawa we want to leave for the next generation,” Dr. Meshi said.

Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), the Benue State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has flayed reports making the rounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may drop his name from the list of those contesting the 2027 governorship election in the state.

Aondoakaa who was reacting to a report titled: “INEC may drop Aondoakaa from Benue guber race as former AGF begs court for more time to file defence”, described the report as “sensational and deliberately misleading.”

While he noted that the publication “is founded on speculation, falsehood and wishful thinking”, the governorship candidate said it became pertinent to expose “the inaccuracies and mischief contained in the report.”

In a statement by James Ian, Media Assistant to Aondoakaa, and issued to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday, he observed that the claim that he “begged” the court for more time to file a defence was not only “reckless” but also a “distortion of court proceedings.”

He said, “The matter was not ripe for substantive hearing as all parties had not been duly served. Consequently, the suggestion that the PDP candidate sought indulgence because he was unable to defend himself is nothing more than a fabrication designed to create a false impression of panic where none exists.

“Second, the report’s sensational conclusion that INEC may withdraw or drop the candidature of Chief Aondoakaa is entirely speculative and unsupported by any judicial pronouncement. No court has made such an order, and no competent authority has taken any action remotely suggesting such a possibility. The headline was crafted solely to mislead the public and manufacture apprehension”, he said.

The former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, argued that “it is equally important to state that the individuals behind the suit are neither members of the PDP, nor governorship candidates in Benue State.

“They lack any legitimate political stake in the nomination process of the PDP and are merely acting as willing tools in a broader political agenda orchestrated by those unsettled by the overwhelming acceptance and growing popularity of Chief Aondoakaa across Benue State”, the governorship candidate alleged.

Describing as “laughable” the attempt to portray the suit as a threat to the PDP candidate, Ian stated that Aondoakaa has never been convicted by any court of law for fraud, dishonesty or any offence that would disqualify him from seeking public office.

According to the statement throughout his career the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, served at the highest levels of government and remains one of Nigeria’s most accomplished legal practitioners and public servants.

“The sponsors of this campaign of falsehood are evidently terrified by the momentum of the Aondoakaa/Ogbenjuwa ticket and have resorted to manufacturing legal and media distractions in a desperate bid to achieve through propaganda what they know they cannot achieve at the ballot box.

“We advise those behind these sponsored publications to allow the court to perform its constitutional duty without external manipulation, media trial or political blackmail. Courtrooms are governed by law and evidence, not by sensational headlines, sponsored narratives or the fantasies of political jobbers”, he explained.

Furthermore, “It is instructive that the incumbent Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, faced several legal challenges before and after the 2023 elections, including matters relating to his disqualification for nomination as a candidate of APC for 2023 election.

“Those cases proceeded through the judicial process, and the courts delivered their verdicts. It would therefore be both irresponsible and misleading for anyone to suggest that the institution of a suit against Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, translates into a loss of his candidacy or the invalidation of his nomination”, Ian stressed. End