The annual Almond Insurance Industry Awards is one of the platforms created to drive insurance education and awareness, even as the upcoming 2025 edition is set to award critical insurance stakeholders who have contributed to the growth and development of the country.
The chairman of the 2025 Awards Panel of Judges, Prisca Soares, while speaking at the press conference marking the official opening of nominations for the Awards, in Victoria Island, Lagos at the weekend said, though, the industry has improved in recent times in awareness creation, there is still a significant gap between awareness and actual penetration, considering the country boasts about 200 million population of which less than 1 per cent of it has insurance coverage.
Soares, who was a past secretary-general of the African Insurance Organisation(AIO) expressed conviction in the power of the Awards to shine a positive light on the industry, given the feedback and participation from previous editions.
She explained that some categories of the awards were dropped and new ones added to engender inclusivity across the entire spectrum, emphasising that the 2025 edition will continue to reinforce these standards, ensuring that the Awards meet international standards of similar awards in other jurisdictions.
She said, after the nominations are received on the Awards Website, the Panel of Judges will review, shortlist, and oversee a transparent voting process that will lead to the announcement of winners at the Grand Awards Night on November 7, 2025.
Announcing that nominations for different categories of the awards commenced on Friday, May 30, 2025 through the awards portal, the chief executive officer of Almond Productions Limited, Faith Ughwode said, the nomination is expected to run for four weeks from May 30 to June 30, 2025 and will be done via the official website: https://almondinsuranceindustryawards.com.
She said, Almond Insurance Industry Awards celebrates the ‘Can Do Spirit’ of the Men and Women across the Nigerian Insurance Industry who continually break barriers to promote insurance, despite prevailing economic and social challenges.
“While insurance penetration remains relatively low, practitioners continue to make impressive gains. According to the Nigerian Insurance Industry Report, the industry recorded a Gross Premium Income of over N1.2 trillion as at the end of 2024, a major milestone reflecting resilience and strategic innovation within the sector.
“The 2025 Awards tagged #Recharged Edition is in line with the Industry Renewed Focus of Raising Insurance Awareness through focus on Enforcement of the Compulsory Insurances and the Regulators’ Collaborative efforts with other relevant Agencies of Government to increase Insurance uptake nationwide. It will once again bring together Policymakers, Insurance Practitioners, top-rated entertainers in Music and Comedy, Members of the Paramilitary, and the Insuring Public, all in an atmosphere of celebration and relaxation,” she stressed.
In response to industry feedback and in line with international standards, she said, some categories were dropped and new ones introduced during the 2024 Awards to align with international standards.
To guarantee integrity and transparency of the Awards, Faith said, the nomination and voting processes are fully web-based, driven by data and technology as Nominations and votes can only be submitted via the company’s official website. The platform is secure and ensures that only truly deserving individuals and institutions emerge as winners, she noted.
She announced the two distinguished professionals who joined the Awards Judging Panel, namely: Rotimi Okpaise, a renowned actuary, joins as vice chairman; Chief Jean Chiazor Anishere (SAN), bringing her wealth of experience in the legal profession to bear as a distinguished legal practitioner.
They join the respected panel led by: Prisca Soares, chairperson and immediate past secretary general of the African Insurance Organization (AIO); Dr. Obinna Chilekezie, Insurance Expert/Researcher, and former Head of Research and Statistics at the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA); Salami Rasaaq Obomeile, director, Human Resources & Administration, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).
Almond CEO urged members of the public to visit the Awards website to nominate for their preferred candidates.
“People are often quick to condemn insurance companies, even when claims are settled, while other sectors like telecoms and banking are not held to the same standard. If you’ve ever benefited from the workings of Insurance, either as individual or corporate clients, now is the time to support the Individuals and Insurance organisations by Nominating and voting when the time comes.Insurance,” she pointed out.
She added that, “the 2025 Awards will not just recognise excellence but also change the narrative around the Insurance Industry. We are redefining key touchpoints, from nomination to voting and final selection, to reflect innovation, credibility, and inclusion in every step.”
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