By Tope Adaramola
The relationship between the Insurance Brokers’ body in Nigeria, The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), and the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA), dates back to the tenure of the 10th President of the Council, Michael Olawale-Cole.
Olawale-Cole recognized the need for Nigerian Insurance Brokers to expand the frontiers of professional relationships across the globe, particularly with reputable institutions such as BIBA, considering the long-standing historical ties between the British insurance market and Nigeria.
Although the relationship initially revolved around periodic visits by NCRIB delegations under some successive Presidents to the BIBA headquarters in London for exchange of ideas with its secretariat administrators, the partnership gained greater depth under the presidency of Ayodapo Shoderu. Shoderu led a delegation of the Council to attend the first BIBA Conference held in Manchester, United Kingdom. Following that historic participation, Shoderu vigorously pursued a more enduring institutional relationship, which eventually culminated in NCRIB being granted Affiliate Status by BIBA. This development opened a new vista of collaboration, leading to deeper engagement and enhanced exchange of professional best practices between both bodies.
Over the years, several landmark events have continued to define the relationship between BIBA and the NCRIB. In 2025, at the opening day of the conference, BIBA conferred its prestigious and first International Lifetime Achievement Award on the Doyen of Insurance in Nigeria, Olola Olabode Ogunlana, in recognition of his remarkable 73 unbroken years in professional insurance practice amongst other things. The feat remains unparalleled.
Building further on the relationship, the Chief Executive Officer of BIBA, Graeme Trudgill, also undertook a three-day official visit to the NCRIB in Nigeria — the first of such visit ever made by a BIBA Chief Executive.
Without doubt, the 2026 BIBA Conference came with remarkable uniqueness for the NCRIB delegation. Most notably, it marked the first time a dedicated opportunity was created for young insurance professionals from Nigeria to attend the conference. This initiative came at the instance of the President of the Council, Ekeoma Ezeibe, under her “One Insurance Industry”mantra, of which Mentorship of Future Leaders is cardinal. To facilitate the participation of the young professionals, BIBA graciously provided five complimentary attendance slots, enabling them to benefit from the conference experience. The young delegates expressed immense excitement at the rare lifetime exposure, which has significantly strengthened their hope for a flourishing career within the insurance industry.
Another major highlight of the conference was the participation of NCRIB’ Past President, Shola Tinubu, at one of the seminar sessions, where he featured in a dialogue on “International Markets and Optimising Commercial Lines.” Tinubu, who participated in his capacity as Chairman of the African Insurance Brokers Association (AIBA), noted that the greatest challenge confronting the African insurance market today is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which he noted is rapidly reshaping consumer behaviour as clients increasingly demand AI-enabled solutions and services. Responding to a question on what makes Nigeria attractive to the British market, Tinubu identified shared historical heritage, the vast professional capacity of British operators, and the richness of the financial ecosystem.
Tinubu’s appearance, coming on the heels of a similar participation by Onotu Prosper Okpue, another Past President of the Council, at a previous BIBA Conference, reflects the consistent advocacy of NCRIB’s leadership for the inclusion of African content in BIBA’s annual conference programming. This strategic engagement is aimed at attracting greater participation from insurance professionals across the African region to the globallyrespected event.
The 2026 BIBA Conference, themed “Time: To,” attracted 68 delegates from Nigeria, comprising top insurance underwriters, insurance brokers, and government officials. Clearly, the annual BIBA Conference has evolved from being a routine yearly gathering into a rich platform for expanding professional knowledge, strengthening institutional relationships, and equipping delegates to respond effectively to the changing global dynamics of insurance practice.
At a side meeting with the BIBA Chief Executive, Ekeoma Ezeibe commended the Association for its consistent support and goodwill towards NCRIB. She appealed for the five complimentary slots allocated to young insurance brokers to become a permanent feature of the conference and, if possible, to be increased in order to provide wider exposure for emerging professionals and strengthen their capacity to lead the market effectively in the future. She also expressed NCRIB’s admiration for BIBA’s “Find Insurance” initiative and assured that the Council would explore ways of adopting a similar framework for NCRIB.
In addition, delegates greatly benefited from the professionally enriching one-day certificated training programme by AON on “Geopolitical, Supply Chain & Business Interruption Risk Management” sponsored by Scib Nigeria & Co. Ltd in London. Many delegates also took time to visit the iconic Lloyd’s of London as part of a professional cum educational excursion. The tour was sponsored by Crystal Trust Insurance Brokers Limited.
Indeed, BIBA 2026 proved to be a uniquely rewarding gathering, especially for Nigerian delegates. The icing on the cake is that this year, the Council’s entourage was made up of about 33 per cent young delegates, which is a significant paradigm shift in the attendance profile of the conference over the years.
It is heartwarming that the delegates had a rewarding work life balance as they were conducted round the Manchester United’s legendary Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, courtesy of Scib (Nig) & Co. Ltd.
In conclusion, there is indeed a compelling need for more operators and the regulator within the Nigerian insurance industry to participate in future BIBA Conferences, in order to sharpen their professional competencies, deepen industry relationships, and build the strategic networks required to thrive in the evolving post-NIIRA 2025 era.
Tope Adaramola is the Executive Secretary/CEO,
The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB).