Photo: Nigerian National Bureau, ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme Sec. Gen at 51st AIO Conference in Ethiopia

The Nigerian National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme actively participated in the 51st African Insurance Organisation (AIO) Conference and Annual General Assembly, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from May 24 to 29, 2025, with the theme, “Balancing the Books: Africa’s Debt Problem – Why Does Country Debt Impact Insurers?”.

The conference brought together regional and international insurance professionals to deliberate on the implications of rising sovereign debt on the African insurance ecosystem.

The Bureau was represented by its SecretaryGeneral/CEO, Dr. Raphael Abiiba, whose participation underscored the Bureau’s ongoing commitment to advancing dialogue and cooperation across Africa’s insurance landscape.

The sessions provided an opportunity to reflect on the intersection between national fiscal health and the operational capacity of insurers—particularly within schemes like the ECOWAS Brown Card that depend on regulatory coherence and macroeconomic stability across member states.

A notable engagement during the conference was a strategic meeting between Dr. Abiiba and Mr. Calven Mutyavaviri, Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Bureaux, COMESA Yellow Card Scheme.

The conversation was both constructive and forward-thinking, focusing on potential areas of collaboration between the ECOWAS and COMESA schemes, including improved claims interoperability, real-time data integration, and broader inter-regional synergy for cross-border motor insurance.

The Bureau’s presence at the conference reinforced its role in regional integration and risk protection, aligning with the broader continental objectives of the African Insurance Organisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).