CIIN Council retreat: Orimolade calls for technology-driven leadership, greater institutional impact
Nike Popoola
The President/Chairman of Council of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mr. Akinjide Orimolade, has charged Council Members of the Institute to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), digital literacy and other emerging technologies in order to remain relevant and competitive in the rapidly changing global economy.
Orimolade made the call at the Year 2026 Council Retreat of CIIN held on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, where he emphasised the need for the Institute to take a leading role in shaping the future of the Nigerian insurance profession.
The retreat was themed, “The Impact Code: Leadership in the Knowledge Age – Reimagining Leadership, Competitiveness and Impact in a Technology-Driven Economy.”
According to him, technology was already transforming underwriting, claims management, customer service, fraud detection, risk assessment and insurance distribution, making it imperative for insurance professionals to acquire the skills required to operate effectively in the new environment.
He said, “The question is therefore not whether change will happen. The question is whether we will lead the change or merely respond to it.”
The CIIN president stressed that leadership in the knowledge age goes beyond occupying positions or holding titles, noting that effective leadership requires the ability to provide direction, inspire confidence, embrace innovation and create sustainable value.
He challenged members of the Governing Council to continuously examine the future direction of the profession and determine the skills and competencies that would be required by tomorrow’s insurance professionals.
Orimolade also urged the Institute to strengthen digital literacy, continuous professional development, innovation and technological competence among its members.
He described a session at the retreat, “Experience to Impact: Harnessing AI for Institutional Growth and Economic Transformation,” as particularly significant, saying the Institute should explore how AI could responsibly be deployed to improve its operations, strengthen member engagement and enhance learning.
On institutional competitiveness, he said the CIIN must remain an organisation that members were proud to belong to and stakeholders were proud to associate with.
He called for continuous improvement in members’ satisfaction, knowledge, trust and efficiency, while urging the Institute to review its systems and processes to ensure they remained responsive to the needs of modern professionals.
Orimolade further highlighted the importance of good governance, saying the retreat would provide an opportunity to review the Council Codified Norms Document.
He urged Council members to uphold integrity, professionalism, accountability and mutual respect, stressing that they were custodians of an institution that was bigger than any individual.
He said the outcome of the retreat should translate into actionable decisions, measurable outcomes, stronger alignment and greater clarity of priorities.
Orimolade said the future of the CIIN would depend not only on the challenges confronting the profession but also on how boldly and intelligently its leaders responded to them. He urged the Institute to embrace innovation without losing its values and adopt technology while keeping people and purpose at the centre of its decisions.
