By Bisi Bamishe
Leadway Assurance, Nigeria’s leading insurance services provider and a subsidiary of Leadway Group, a foremost non-banking financial services and wellbeing conglomerate, has partnered with Insurtainment, a platform dedicated to advancing insurance adoption across the entertainment and creative sectors, to accelerate insurance penetration within Nigeria’s creative economy.
The partnership officially commenced with Leadway’s participation in the Insurtainment Policy & Industry Forum 2026, a high-level roundtable held on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. The forum provided a platform for stakeholders to explore practical insurance solutions tailored to the unique needs of the entertainment industry.
The engagement brought together representatives from the film, music, television, gig economy, and broader entertainment sectors, alongside insurers, policymakers, regulators, and other key stakeholders, to drive conversations about strengthening risk protection, fostering innovation, and supporting the sector’s long-term sustainability.
Beyond the inaugural forum, the collaboration establishes a platform for sustained engagement between Leadway and Insurtainment to deepen insurance awareness, encourage product innovation, and support the adoption of insurance solutions that enhance resilience across Nigeria’s fast growing creative economy.
Commenting on the partnership, Gboyega Lesi, the Managing Director of Leadway Assurance, described it as a strategic investment in one of Nigeria’s most vibrant economic sectors. He said, “With Nigeria’s entertainment and media sector expected to generate nearly US$4.9 billion in revenue in 2026, the country’s creative industry has become a powerful driver of economic growth, employment, investment, and global cultural influence. As the industry continues to evolve, insurance must be positioned as a strategic enabler of growth and innovation by protecting the people, productions, and businesses that matter”
“Our partnership with Insurtainment reflects Leadway’s belief that meaningful progress happens when industries collaborate to solve shared challenges. By bringing together insurers, policymakers and creative professionals, we can develop practical solutions that respond to the realities of the entertainment industry, giving creators, investors and businesses the confidence to pursue bigger opportunities while safeguarding the value they create.”
Delivering the keynote address at the forum, Olawale Alao, Head of Commercial (B2B), Leadway Assurance, highlighted the critical role of insurance in unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
“Nigeria’s creative economy is one of our strongest levers for diversification, job creation, and global competitiveness, but ambition alone doesn’t build an industry. For too long, insurance has been treated as a formality, a box ticked or a claim filed after the damage is done. At Leadway, we take a different view. Insurance is what gives the creative economy the confidence to scale, and where value is protected, capital follows.
” Leadway’s partnership with Insurtainment reinforces the company’s strategic efforts to drive insurance inclusion across critical sectors by developing innovative, fit-for-purpose solutions that protect individuals, talent, and businesses, empower entrepreneurs, and contribute to Nigeria’s long-term economic development.
About Leadway Assurance
Leadway Assurance is one of Nigeria’s foremost non-banking financial services groups, offering diversified solutions across insurance, pensions, health, and asset management. Founded in 1970, the company has built a legacy of trust and innovation, serving millions of individuals and businesses across Nigeria and West Africa.
