Oredugba, NHIA to receive top honours at insurance awards

A veteran insurance professional, Mr Opeoluwa Emmanuel Oredugba, and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will receive top honours at the 2026 Almond Insurance Industry Awards and Consumers’ Nite scheduled for November 6 in Lagos.

While Oredugba will receive the 2026 Insurance Life Achievers Award in recognition of his contributions spanning more than four decades, the NHIA will be presented with the Special Recognition Award for its efforts to expand health insurance coverage and improve access to healthcare financing in Nigeria.

The annual event, organised by Almond Productions Limited, will hold at the Stable Event Centre, Surulere, Lagos, bringing together key players and stakeholders in the Nigerian insurance industry.

According to a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Almond Productions Limited, Ms Faith Ughwode, Oredugba’s contributions to the development of the Nigerian and West African insurance sectors have been significant.

One of his notable achievements, the statement said, was the introduction of Takaful, or Islamic insurance, into Nigeria’s insurance sector in 2002.

The NHIA is being recognised for reforms and interventions under its current leadership, which the organisers said had contributed to expanding health insurance coverage, with more than 20 million Nigerians reached within the last two years.

The authority’s leadership was also commended for efforts to improve access to health insurance, strengthen healthcare financing and provide financial protection against healthcare-related expenses.

Instituted in 2018, the awards recognise individuals, companies and institutions whose contributions have helped promote insurance awareness, improve service delivery and advance the growth of the industry.

Despite persistent challenges of low insurance awareness and penetration in Nigeria, stakeholders continue to promote life, health, agricultural, general and microinsurance products to encourage more Nigerians to embrace insurance.

The 2026 edition, tagged #Reemergence, will feature comedy performances by MC Asoro, Laugh Doctor and Sambadecomedian, among others. Musical performances will be headlined by Reminisce, popularly known as Alaga Ibile, and Marvellous Benjy.

The event will be hosted by Steve Onu, popularly known as Yaw Naija.

Expected guest presenters include Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Hajia Bola Muse, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bomarah Group; Queensley Sofuratu Seghosime, President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); and Professor Jacinta Opara, Vice-Chancellor of Dominican University.

The shortlisted voting categories include Insurance CEO of the Year, Insurance Woman of the Year, Life Insurance Company of the Year, General Insurance Company of the Year, Insurance Broker of the Year, Insurance Broking Company of the Year, Takaful Company of the Year, Microinsurance Company of the Year and Most Valuable Insurance Customer of the Year.

The non-voting categories comprise the Insurance Life Achievers Award and the Special Recognition Award.

The organisers said the unprecedented number of votes recorded for this year’s awards reflected the event’s growing popularity and the confidence it enjoys among industry stakeholders.