Director, SAHAM Unitrust Insurance Nigeria Limited, Merrick Oeschger; President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr. Kayode Okunoren; Executive Director, Technical, Saham Insurance, Mrs Yetunde Adenuga; Non-Executive Director, Saham Insurance, Mr. Adebayo Adeleke and NCRIB Vice President, Mrs Bola Onigbogi at the June edition of NCRIB Members’ Evening in Lagos.
SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN COUNCIL OF REGISTERED INSURANCE BROKERS, MR. EMMANUEL KAYODE OKUNOREN, FIIN, FCIB AT THE JUNE 2017 EDITION OF NCRIB MEMBERS’ EVENING, HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017 IN LAGOS.
The Management Team of Saham Unitrust Insurance,
Distinguished members of the NCRIB Governing Board
Other Members and Guests
Gentlemen of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the mid-year edition of NCRIB Members’ Evening in 2017. This edition of our Members’ Evening is strategic, holding shortly after the well-attended CEO’s Retreat of the Council, held in Calabar, Cross River State. First and foremost, I like to appreciate all our distinguished Chief Executives and other top notch of the industry whose large turnout at the event was commendable. I like to state without a doubt that the Calabar retreat could be adjudged one of the best events held by the industry in recent time. At the inception, when the idea of CEO’s Retreat in Calabar was mooted, one of my concerns was how to convey people from Lagos and other parts of the Country to the venue, considering the distance and other logistics, but to my utmost surprise, the attendance was impressive and encouraging. This further underscored your staunch support for the Council and this administration. I want to encourage all participants who are yet to collect their certificates of participation as well as the compact disc that contains the lecture to visit the Secretariat. For those that missed Calabar 2017, time would fail me to analyze how I decided to crush my opponent team at the novelty match, but for the intervention of some notable members who surreptitiously appealed that we spare the opponents of humiliation from an avalanche of goals! Well, it was fun all through and I look forward to the sustenance of this great event.
It must not elude me to appreciate the host of this Members’ Evening, Saham Unitrust Insurance Company. It is most heartwarming that the company opted to host this event. I like to appreciate the company, ably led to this meeting by its Managing Director/CEO, Mr. John Ijerheime, a consummate insurance practitioner of close to three decades. Even though, the Company is making an appearance for the first time in recent time, I have no iota of doubt within me that this event would change the fortune of the company most significantly. With this partnership with Insurance Brokers, who incidentally control the largest chunk of insurance market in Nigeria, I have the privilege the privilege of announcing Saham Unitrust one of the Most Brokers- Friendly Company of the Year 2017. On behalf of the Governing Board and the entire membership of NCRIB, I like to congratulate you and wish you well in your business endeavour.
Please permit me to note that the bi-monthly Members’ Evening has remained a cherished avenue for robust interaction between insurance brokers and leading underwriters in the market. The pivotal place of this event is clearly evident in the hordes of companies striving to secure the sponsorship slot. The event has definitely become renowned for throwing issues that have continued to make our professional body relevant in the scheme of things in the country. We have continued to have testimonies of host companies experience an upward swing in their fortunes after hosting this event. Assuredly, the case of Saham Unitrust will be the same.
NATIONAL ISSUES
IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL BUDGET
I like to join well meaning Nigerians to commend the Federal Government on the recent signing of the N7.44 trillion budget for 2017, to end several months of speculations over the status of the document. With the signing of the budget, and the consequent promise of government to release N350 billion for capital projects, it is hoped that the nation would successfully get out of economic recession. The fact that the funds would be substantially spent on capital projects is applaudable. In the light of this, the NCRIB is advocating that the expenditure should be closely monitored to ensure they are diligently prosecuted. It is our hope that the insurance industry would also take advantage of this expenditure to canvass for insurance of those assets as obtainable in other climes. A time like this is quite apt to appeal to the Federal Government to always ensure early preparation of national budgets so as to forestall the mistakes of the past. It is disheartening to note that a budget of twelve months calendar got the ascent of the Federal Government for implementation at the half of the same year. I want to appeal to our Government to always put into consideration the plight of common man in the street and make constant efforts in removing all critical bottlenecks and bureaucratic restraints to prompt signing of budget into law.
CORPORATE VISIBILITY PROJECT
I like to report that the aim of the Council’s Corporate Visibility Project to create public awareness for Insurance Brokering Business by enhancing its visibility has started to yield its expected result. Like I reported at the CEO’s Retreat in Calabar, it is our aim to make Insurance Brokering a house hold name through many adopted means of awareness creation. Like Oliver Twist, the Council will like to seek more of your supports to carry out all it’s lined up plans and projects. I like to inform you that plans are in offing for the Council’s jingle to also be aired across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria on selected radio and television stations, including Abuja. We will certainly extend our reach to other geopolitical zones. In addition to this, we have our colour advert strip that keeps running concurrently in the “Punch Newspapers” every Monday. We also have in our plans, production of Exercise Books, to be distributed to over 20,000 school pupils across the Country, in addition to several corporate social responsibility gestures. At the end, it is our expectation that no one will transact insurance business in Nigeria without the involvement of Insurance Brokers and for this we crave your continuous support for the actualization of this lofty project.
INTERNATIONAL TRIP
In line with the crave of the Council to continually give international exposure to desiring members of the Council, it is most heartwarming that the Council has been invited to attend 2017 yearly International Trip and Business Summit, slated for San Antonio, Texas, United States of America, between September 10-16. The theme is “Solving the Puzzle for Strategic Growth”. Details will be communicated to Members as soon as possible, and it is my hope that we shall have overwhelming attendance.
IICC NATIONAL INSURANCE CONFERENCE
The Insurance Industry Consultative Council’s (IICC) third edition of the National Insurance Conference is scheduled to hold from Sunday 9th July to Tuesday 11th July, 2017 at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The theme of the Conference is “Nigeria Open for Business”. The Conference will feature the attendance of dignitaries, including the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Hon. Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enalama, among others. I hereby appeal to members to attend the conference, in view of the fact that the Council is chairing this year’s event. It is, however, heartwarming that the Planning Committee has agreed to a concessionary fee of N40,000:00 per delegate for Insurance Brokers as against the N55, 000:00 delegates fees payable by others.
CONCLUSION
Once again, I thank our host, SAHAM Unitrust Insurance for accepting to host this event and assure that with this gesture, the company has registered itself in the mind of all Brokers here present with the estimated positive effects on the company’s business fortune in due course.
I thank you all for your presence and attention and wish you all a delightful evening.
EMMANUEL KAYODE OKUNOREN, FCII, FCIB
President/Chairman Governing Board
