Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Omogbai Omo-Eboh, has called for insurance to be embedded in Nigeria’s public administration and fiscal planning, arguing that government can reduce unexpected financial burdens by adequately covering its assets, infrastructure and workforce.
Punch reported that Omo-Eboh made the proposal at the second All-Inclusive Mass Media Training for Journalists organised by Insurance Publication Limited and sponsored by the African Reinsurance Corporation. He said insurance should function not only as a product for individuals and businesses but also as a tool for managing public-sector risks.
He proposed that government agencies incorporate insurance checks into digital platforms used for licences, permits, approvals and registrations. Under his framework, vehicle licence renewals would include verification of third-party motor insurance, while building approvals and certificates of completion would be linked to appropriate insurance cover.
The legal expert also suggested that evidence of marine cargo insurance should form part of the requirements for clearing imported goods, while employers should provide group life cover for workers before securing certain workplace, tax or industrial clearances.
Omo-Eboh further advocated compulsory insurance registers and stronger information sharing among regulatory agencies, including the National Insurance Commission, Federal Road Safety Corps and National Health Insurance Authority. He said better data coordination would strengthen enforcement, reduce fraud and provide government with information for risk-based planning.
He maintained that covering public assets and employees could help cushion government against expenses arising from fire, accidents, liability claims and infrastructure-related failures. He also identified delayed claims, weak enforcement, limited public understanding, affordability challenges and poor data as factors hindering wider insurance uptake.
The President of the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr Augustine Aipoh, urged journalists to scrutinise the actual impact of health policies on patients rather than stopping at awareness campaigns.
Aipoh asked reporters to examine access to health insurance, availability of healthcare providers, quality of treatment, reimbursement of providers and patients’ experiences at healthcare facilities. He also cautioned journalists against publishing unverified claims about fake cures, herbal remedies, vaccines, medical advertisements and self-medication.
