SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE AND PENSION CORRESPONDENTS (NAIPCO) CHUKS UDO OKONTA AT THE 5TH EDITION OF NAIPCO ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2020 AT FOUR POINT BY SHERATON, ONIRU CHIEFTAINCY ESTATE, LEKKI, LAGOS.
The Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Sunday Thomas
The Director General, National Pension Commission. Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar
The Chairman of the Occasion, Mr. Austin Enajemo-Isire
The Special Guest of Honour, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi
The Keynote Speaker, Dr. Muda Yusuf
The Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association, Mr. Ganiyu Musa
The Chief Executive Officer, Pension Fund Association of Nigeria, Mr. Agudah Oguche
My Media Colleagues
All invited dignitaries
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my pleasure to welcome you all to another annual conference of the National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents (NAIPCO). We are delighted that you all accepted our invitation to attend this event which is the 5th NAIPCO Conference holding today Wednesday, November 4, 2020 inspite of Covid-19 pandemic and #EndSars protest. We give God the glory for keeping us to witness today’s event.
This event would not have come through without you all, hence, we are grateful to you all for making great sacrifices out of your busy schedule to honour our call. It is our prayer that God Almighty will honour and answer you whenever you call on him.
The NAIPCO annual conference was conceived by our founding fathers to enhance discuss on matters around insurance and pension sectors and by extension the economy. Over the years, the conference has helped to raise issues that have shaped operations of the insurance and pension sectors as erudite scholars were been invited to speak and discuss on how to take the two sectors to a lofty height.
Determined to contribute more and enhance knowledge on operations and activities of the insurance and pension sectors, NAIPCO this year decided to raise discuss on a vital area that is of great essence to the sectors, which is investment portfolios.
Mindful of the challenges posed by the rules presently guiding how investment should be made, this esteemed association thought it necessary for key stakeholders to brainstorm and suggest ways to evolve and enlarge investment windows for the operators. This we believe would then lead to a robust return on investment for investors and other stakeholders.
The choice of the keynote speaker, the Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Muda Yusuf, who over the years has made great contributions to the development of the real sector was very strategic. As an astute campaigner for the development of the organised private sector, we believe having him speak on the theme of this year’s conference, which is: Promoting Bankable Investment Portfolio For Insurance and Pension Sectors, will help us unveil unidentified bankable investment windows that will help grow the nation’s economy.
Also, we are sure that the personalities chosen from the two sectors to discuss the keynote paper will further deepen the discourse. We are optimistic that the Chairman of the occasion who is also the Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSTIF), Mr Austin Enajemo-Isire, will use his vast knowledge on insurance and pension to help coordinate proceedings at this great event.
It is the creed of NAIPCO to continue to prop the operations of the two sectors by evolving and developing innovative means that will boost the growth of the sectors.
As part of our commitment to the development of the sectors, we now have our publication christened: NAIPCO Trumpet, which is on its 6th edition. The researched based Journal with contributions from stakeholders is distributed to the public free of charge.
Ladies and gentlemen, today, I am glad to inform you that NAIPCO will launch its website which will be unveiled by the Chairman, Mutual Benefit Assurance Plc, Mr Akin Ogunbiyi. This is another milestone for us in our quest to further create awareness for the two sectors in the country. Also, the website is expected to create digital presence on our activities.
In addition, we have evolved an innovative concept tagged: Profiling. The idea behind this is to showcase key components of the sectors, which are: Management team, Products and Claims history and payment to the public, thereby increasing knowledge and driving patronage.
Similarly, the association as part of its contributions to supporting and rewarding excellence had over the years been giving awards to deserving individuals and organisations. This year, another award will be giving to an organisation for its contributions to the development of the sectors and the nation at large.
As I conclude, I appeal to us to listen to the keynote speaker, the discussants and make our contributions toward the well-being of the insurance and pension sectors.
God bless you all
Thank you
Chuks Udo Okonta
