Insurance experts have called on the Federal Government to integrate insurance verification into public digital platforms as part of efforts to improve compliance and raise insurance penetration in Nigeria.
The experts also urged government to insure public assets and employees in line with provisions of the new Nigeria Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025, arguing that government should lead by example in enforcing compulsory insurance requirements.
The recommendations were made during a two-day media seminar organised by Insurance Publication Limited, themed “The Universe of Insurance and Journalism: Risk Everywhere, In Everything.”
Speaking at the event, Dr. Omogbai Omo-Eboh said the success of a national insurance framework would depend largely on how effectively insurance is integrated into everyday public and administrative processes.
He said compulsory insurance should be connected to government services such as licensing, permits, registrations and public procurement instead of being treated solely as a private-sector product.
According to him, vehicle licence renewals could include real-time verification of third-party motor insurance, while the clearance of imported goods could require evidence of marine cargo insurance issued in Nigeria.
He also proposed linking building approvals and completion certificates to builders’ liability and public building insurance, while employers seeking certain regulatory clearances could be required to provide evidence of group life insurance for their workers.
Omo-Eboh further advocated the incorporation of insurance verification into government digital platforms. Such systems, he said, could automatically authenticate policy numbers before licences, permits or approvals are issued or renewed.
He noted that digital integration could reduce manual processes, limit fraudulent documentation and make compliance more seamless for citizens and businesses.
The expert also suggested that government agencies could facilitate premium payments through tax offices, licensing bodies and sector regulators at the point of registration or renewal.
Data Sharing Critical to Insurance Growth
Omo-Eboh said improved access to reliable data would be essential for insurers operating under the expanded compulsory insurance framework provided by NIIRA 2025.
He identified government databases, credit bureaus, healthcare institutions and financial institutions as important sources of information that could help insurers strengthen customer verification, risk assessment and fraud detection.
He welcomed existing collaboration between the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), as well as the partnership between NAICOM and CRC Credit Bureau announced in February 2026.
He said stronger data coordination could support faster policy authentication, improve risk-based pricing and encourage automated decision-making across the insurance industry.
According to him, better use of data could also help insurers shift from primarily responding to claims to taking a more proactive approach to managing risks.
Omo-Eboh further called for wider access to affordable and understandable insurance products, particularly for low-income Nigerians.
He recommended greater use of microinsurance among transport operators, traders, artisans, tenants and low-income households, arguing that insurance products must be accessible to ordinary citizens if national insurance objectives are to succeed.
Government Asked to Insure Public Assets
The expert also stressed the importance of government insuring public infrastructure, assets and employees.
He argued that adequate insurance coverage could reduce the financial burden created by unexpected events such as fires, accidents, liability claims and infrastructure-related failures.
Insuring government assets, he said, could improve budget planning by reducing the need to divert public funds to emergency replacement or reconstruction.
The lead Editor of Insurance Publication Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuadu, similarly urged the government to view insurance not only as a regulatory requirement but also as a fiscal management tool.
Meanwhile, the President of the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Austin Aipoh, called on journalists to play a stronger role in addressing health misinformation.
Aipoh urged the media to investigate and report misleading medical advertisements, fake cures, unverified herbal remedies, false social-media health claims, vaccine misinformation and dangerous self-medication advice.
He also advocated broader health insurance coverage, noting that illness can result in significant income losses for individuals and households.
With Nigeria seeking to increase insurance penetration from its current estimated 0.5 per cent of GDP to 10 per cent, the experts said stronger government enforcement, digital integration, better data sharing and wider access to affordable insurance would be important to achieving the target.
