Nigeria hosts first ECOWAS Brown Card zonal meeting in Lagos
L-R: Chairman Council of Bureaux, ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme, Mr. Habib Dia; Commissioner for Insurance, (NAICOM), Mr. Olusegun Ayo Omosehin; and Permanent Secretary General, ECOWAS Brown Card, Mr. Winfred Kwasi Dodzih
Abdullateef Fowewe
Nigeria is hosting the inaugural zonal meeting of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme for 2026 in Lagos from April 13–16.
The event, themed “The Digital Divide: Managing Change in the Brown Card Operational Strategy for Effective Cross-Border Claims Settlement,” draws stakeholders from West Africa to enhance digital integration, speed up claims, and unify motor insurance for cross-border accidents.
The scheme provides third-party compensation for road accident victims involving foreign motorists across ECOWAS states.
Speaking at the Eko hotel on Tuesday, Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, welcomed participants, stating, “This meeting comes at a critical time for the West African insurance industry, as we respond to regulatory reforms, technological change, and the growing demand for deeper regional integration.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s 2025 Insurance Industry Reform Act, which bolsters the National Bureau’s role, and urged “strict compliance with operational guidelines” and “timely settlement of valid claims.”
Chairman of the Council of Bureaux, Habib Dia, in his remarks emphasised digital urgency.
“A system is only as strong as its weakest link,” said Dia.
He called for harmonised data standards, platform integration for real-time claims, capacity building, and cybersecurity, warning that “managing this change is not optional—it is existential.”
Speaking with journalists at the sidelines of the event, Permanent Secretary General of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance, Winfred Kwasi Dodzih said Nigeria’s return strengthens the region.
“Nigeria coming back is going to enhance the development of the sub region, promotion of trade across the universities, and also employment for the team,” Dodzih said.
He stressed the scheme’s role in free movement and digital shifts from paper to digital processes.
The meeting aims to bridge digital gaps for efficient claims and regional trust.
Chairman of the Nigerian National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, Dr Lucas Durojaiye, said, “As we reflect on the theme of this meeting, “The Digital Divide: Managing Change in the Brown Card Operational Strategy for Effective Cross-Border Claims Settlement”, it is evident that the Scheme is entering a new phase of operational evolution.
“The increasing digitalization of insurance processes presents both opportunities and challenges.”
Technology, he noted, has the potential to significantly improve efficiency, transparency, and coordination among National Bureaux.
He said “On the other hand, disparities in technological infrastructure across markets may create operational gaps that must be carefully addressed.
It is therefore essential that as we advance the digital transformation of the Scheme, we do so in a manner that promotes inclusiveness, interoperability, and shared operational standards across the region.”
