By Kehinde Ibrahim, Lagos
NIGERIA has intensified efforts to deepen regional insurance cooperation and improve the efficiency of cross-border motor insurance under the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, following a high-level engagements between the Nigerian National Bureau and the Scheme’s Permanent Secretariat.
The three-day working visit by the Chairman of the Nigerian National Bureau and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Sovereign Trust Plc, Dr. Lucas Durojaiye, focused on strengthening institutional cooperation, improving operational efficiency and advancing reforms capable of making the regional insurance mechanism more responsive to the needs of motorists and businesses operating across West Africa.
The engagement provided an avenue for the Nigerian delegation and officials of the Permanent Secretariat to review issues affecting the effective functioning and continued development of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme.
Key discussions centred on strengthening cooperation between National Bureaux and the Permanent Secretariat, improving claims management, enhancing operational effectiveness and accelerating the digital transformation of the Scheme.
The parties also examined the need for closer institutional relationships among Member Bureaux to ensure greater coordination and consistency in the administration of the Scheme across the ECOWAS region.
The Permanent Secretariat welcomed the visit and commended the Nigerian National Bureau for its continued support and commitment to the objectives of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme.
According to the Secretariat, sustained engagement among Member Bureaux remains essential to addressing operational challenges and ensuring that the Scheme continues to deliver effective cross-border insurance protection.
The discussions also placed significant emphasis on digital transformation, reflecting the growing need to modernise the systems through which cross-border motor insurance is administered.
Improved digital infrastructure could enhance information exchange, streamline claims processing and strengthen coordination between the various National Bureaux and the Permanent Secretariat.
The issue of claims management was also identified as an important area requiring continued attention, particularly given the role of efficient claims settlement in building confidence in the Brown Card system among motorists, transport operators, insurers and other stakeholders.
The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme is designed to provide third-party motor insurance coverage for motorists travelling across participating West African countries. Its effective operation is therefore closely linked to the broader regional objective of facilitating the movement of people and goods.
For Nigeria, which plays a significant role in regional trade and transportation, an efficient cross-border insurance framework remains important to reducing administrative bottlenecks and supporting smoother movement of vehicles across national borders.
The working visit also reinforced the importance of regular consultation and constructive dialogue among Member Bureaux as the Scheme undergoes institutional and technological transformation.
The Permanent Secretariat expressed appreciation to Dr. Durojaiye and the Nigerian National Bureau for the engagement, noting the importance of continued collaboration in advancing the Scheme’s institutional objectives.
It further reaffirmed its determination to work with all Member Bureaux to develop a stronger, more efficient, transparent and digitally enabled ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme.
The renewed engagement comes at a time when regional institutions are placing greater emphasis on improving mechanisms that support trade, transportation and economic integration within West Africa.
Stakeholders believe that stronger cooperation between National Bureaux and the Permanent Secretariat will be critical to improving the administration of the Brown Card Scheme and addressing challenges that may hinder its effectiveness.
The Nigerian National Bureau’s engagement with the Permanent Secretariat therefore represents another step towards strengthening regional insurance cooperation and ensuring that the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme continues to support the free movement of people and goods across the West African sub-region.
