A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Omogbai Omo-Eboh, has challenged the Federal Government to urgently insure its public assets, infrastructure and employees, warning that failure to do so leaves public finances dangerously exposed to avoidable shocks.
Omo-Eboh made the call on Tuesday at the second All-Inclusive Mass Media Training for Journalists, organised by Insurance Publication Limited and sponsored by the African Reinsurance Corporation.
Speaking on “Legal Integrative Framework for a National Insurance Policy: How to Make Insurance Work for Individuals, Government, and the Economy,” the SAN said insurance must no longer be treated merely as a private-sector product, but as a critical fiscal and regulatory tool for protecting government resources.
He warned that uninsured public assets could saddle government with unexpected expenditure whenever disasters, accidents, fires, liabilities or infrastructure failures occur.
«“When public assets, public works, and public employees are insured, the State is less exposed to unexpected expenditure arising from fire, accident, liability, or infrastructural failure,” Omo-Eboh said.»
The legal expert also urged journalists to intensify scrutiny of public institutions over compliance with compulsory insurance laws, arguing that coverage of government assets and workers should form part of responsible fiscal management.
SAN Demands Digital Insurance Police
Omo-Eboh proposed the integration of compulsory insurance into public services, licensing, permits, registration and procurement processes, saying digital government platforms could make enforcement more effective and reduce fraud.
He proposed that vehicle licence renewals should be tied to real-time verification of compulsory motor third-party insurance, while imported goods should not be cleared without evidence of marine cargo insurance issued in Nigeria.
He also called for builders’ liability and public building insurance to be made requirements for building approvals and certificates of completion.
Similarly, he said employers should provide group life insurance for workers before securing relevant tax, workplace or industrial clearances.
“A government portal can verify policy numbers before issuing approvals, renewing licences or releasing permits, reducing manual fraud and delays,” he asserted.
The SAN further suggested that insurance premiums could be collected through tax offices, licensing agencies and sector regulators during registration or renewal, making compliance easier for citizens and businesses.
He also advocated the creation of compulsory insurance registers containing data on vehicle density, workplace risks, building exposure, cargo movement and other sector-specific vulnerabilities.
According to him, stronger collaboration between government agencies and the private sector was necessary to close enforcement gaps, while a secure inter-agency compliance platform involving the National Insurance Commission, Federal Road Safety Corps and National Health Insurance Authority could improve information sharing.
Omo-Eboh identified delayed or disputed claims, weak enforcement, poor consumer education, limited access for low-income and informal-sector workers, inadequate data and socio-cultural barriers as major factors undermining insurance uptake.
He noted that the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025 had established a new legal framework for the industry, but stressed that legislation alone would not translate into higher insurance penetration without effective implementation and enforcement.
Journalists Told To Probe Healthcare Outcomes
Also speaking at the training, President of the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr Augustine Aipoh, urged journalists to move beyond publicity and awareness campaigns and investigate whether government health policies actually improve patients’ experiences.
Aipoh, who spoke on “Beyond Awareness: The Journalist as a Catalyst for Better Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria,” said journalists should track the entire patient journey—from policy formulation and enrolment to financing, accreditation, treatment, claims and eventual outcomes.
He challenged reporters to investigate whether ordinary Nigerians could afford health insurance, whether healthcare providers were available in their communities and whether insured patients could actually access quality care when needed.
He also urged the media to scrutinise how quickly healthcare providers are reimbursed and what patients experience at the point of care.
Aipoh warned journalists against amplifying health misinformation, including fake cures, unverified herbal remedies, misleading medical advertisements, vaccine misinformation and dangerous self-medication advice.
He stressed that medical claims must be properly verified before publication, warning that misinformation in the health sector could have consequences far beyond reputational damage.
The training, themed “The Universe of Insurance and Journalism: Risk Everywhere, in Everything,” brought together journalists and insurance stakeholders to examine the role of insurance in managing risks, protecting individuals and institutions, and strengthening public awareness.
