The doyen of the insurance industry, Olola Bode Ogunlana, has urged insurers to work as team and build capacity with a view to educating the public on the need for insurance so as to deepen the sector.
Ogunlana, who gave this charge at the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) 60th Anniversary Gala Night, noted that for the industry to be more conspicuous and comprehensible, insurers have to be aggressive in marketing their products stressing that, if Nigerians both in their personal and corporate entities are not persuaded of the importance and worth of insurance, the penetration level will continue to be low.
While emphasising on the great role CIIN has to play in supporting underwriters in terms of knowledge and capacity as regards to prompt claims payment, he called on all professionals of the industry to be accurately armed with the skill, knowledge and expertise not only in insurance sector but in different organizations and business sectors that touch the needs of policyholders who are the clients.
In the keynote address, the acting Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas, admonished the institute to take ideas and solution proffered by stakeholders to move the institute and the industry forward while joining forces with the commission to achieve its objectives.
Speaking earlier, the President of CIIN, Eddie Efekoha, lauded the past presidents for their contributions to the institute.
“We will encourage and involve young professionals in the affairs of both the institute and the industry. Mentor them on the values of professionalism, integrity, ethical conduct, which you, our elders, hold very dear to your hearts such that, in another 60 years from now, they would look back and say that they have neither disappointed you nor themselves. Indeed they would celebrate many milestones and our industry would be better for it”, he noted.