NAICOM moves to strengthen performance culture, adopts OKR framework
From left: Mr. Salami Rasaaq, Director HR & Admin (NAICOM), Mr. Ekerete Ola Gam-Ikon, Dep. Commissioner for Insurance, Finance & Admin, Elder. Aniefiok Isaac Nkom, Executive Chairman, Ikot Ekpene LGA, Dr. Usman Jankara Jimada, Deputy Commissioner for Insurance, Technical and Mrs. Oluwatoyin Charles, Director Supervision (NAICOM) at the Performance Management Workshop holding at Four Point by Sheraton, Ikot Ekpene - Akwa Ibom State
Nike Popoola
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has announced a major shift toward a performance-driven culture as it adopts the global Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework to strengthen accountability, regulatory efficiency and industry stability.
Speaking at the opening of the Performance Management Workshop held on Monday in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, the Deputy Commissioner (Technical), Dr. Usman Jankara, said the move marks a strategic step toward embedding a culture of excellence across the Commission. He delivered the address on behalf of the Commissioner for Insurance.
According to Jankara, performance management is crucial to achieving NAICOM’s long-term vision of building a safe, stable, and globally competitive insurance industry that contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development. He stressed that without a strong performance culture anchored on clarity and measurable outcomes, reforms would not yield the expected results.
He outlined NAICOM’s five strategic goals, which include protecting policyholders, strengthening supervisory capacity, ensuring the financial stability of the sector, promoting innovation and sustainability, and expanding insurance penetration nationwide. These, he noted, are supported by key priorities such as risk-based supervision, digital transformation, governance excellence, and effective claims management.
Jankara explained that the newly adopted OKR framework will align individual and departmental goals with the Commission’s broader strategic agenda. The framework, he said, promotes transparency, clarity, and focus on measurable outcomes rather than activities. Staff will also apply the SMART goal principles—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—to ensure global best practice in performance evaluation.
He emphasized that the initiative is not punitive but designed to drive continuous improvement and strengthen NAICOM’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
Jankara also highlighted the gains of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025, describing it as a landmark achievement that will reposition the insurance industry as a key pillar in Nigeria’s financial system.
He called on staff to demonstrate commitment, honesty, and dedication, noting that the success of any strategy rests heavily on the people who implement it.
“Reforms alone cannot guarantee results. Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” he said, urging employees to support management and uphold a culture of excellence and accountability.
