Mr Tope Smart, the Chairman of Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), says the choice of Nigeria as the 2020 host of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) conference is a positive development.
Smart told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that there were so many benefits to be derived from hosting the conference.
NAN reports that the NIA chairman was reacting to a statement by the Secretary-General of AIO, Mrs Prisca Soares, at the 46th AIO conference on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The statement had indicated that the conference would take place in Abuja from May 31 to June 3 in 2020, with the theme: “The African Insurers; In The Face Of Digital Disruption”.
The NIA chairman disclosed that activities were already on to make the conference a huge success, adding that the association was already discussing with relevant government agencies.
Smart, who is also the Managing Director of NEM Insurance Plc, said delegates to the conference would have some of their best experiences during their visit to Nigeria.
He said NIA members were capable and ready to host their colleagues from various countries who would attend the conference.
“Nigeria is populated by over 190 million people, with insurance penetration below one per cent.
“The population figure shows enormous opportunities and potential for the insurance industry in Africa’s most populous nation.
“Our guests will be exposed to various tourist centres and attractive areas the country is blessed with.
“Nigeria is also blessed with hospitable people, who speak over 250 languages and have some attractive national monuments and heritage,” the NIA chairman said.
NAN reports that AIO, comprising insurance practitioners in Africa, has the aim of consolidating and strengthening the region’s insurance industry in order to provide better quality services to Africa’s population.
