Leadway Assurance Company has announced the appointment of Mrs. Adebisi Lamikanra as the new Chairperson of the Board, following the tenure expiration and formal retirement of General (Rtd) Martin Luther Agwai, who has served as Board Chairman since November 2016.

A Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mrs. Lamikanra brings about four decades of exceptional leadership and advisory experience to the role.
She was a Partner at Andersen Nigeria and made history as the first female Partner at KPMG Nigeria, where she retired as Head of Advisory Services and Lead for the African Region Advisory Practice.

Her career has been defined by strategic consultancy to leading local and multinational organisations across sectors. An alumna of the University of Lagos and the Lagos Business School, she has also honed her leadership skills through advanced executive programs at Harvard Business School, INSEAD University, and the Kellogg School of Management.

Mrs. Lamikanra currently serves on the boards of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Evercare Hospital Lekki, and Nestle Nigeria, where her governance acumen and cross-sector insights continue to shape corporate excellence.

Speaking on the appointment, the outgoing Chairman expressed his confidence in Mrs. Lamikanra’s leadership, stating, “It has been a profound honour to serve Leadway Assurance, a company that continues to define trust and innovation in Nigeria’s financial services sector. As I pass the baton, I take pride in the enduring culture of excellence we have built together. Mrs. Lamikanra’s appointment represents a seamless continuation of this legacy; her integrity, professionalism, and wealth of experience will ensure that Leadway continues to grow stronger and advance firmly into its next chapter of success.”

Under General Agwai’s stewardship, Leadway Assurance achieved significant milestones, including restructuring into a holding company, expanding across West Africa, and solidifying its position as one of the West Africa’s most trusted financial services institutions. His tenure will be remembered for stability, innovation, and a commitment to governance excellence. His exit, after his successful tenure, reinforces Leadway’s penchant for uploading good governance principles.

Speaking on her appointment, Mrs. Lamikanra expressed gratitude and optimism about the company’s future. “I am deeply honoured to assume this responsibility at such a pivotal moment in Leadway Assurance’s journey. The organization’s legacy of trust and innovation, built over five decades, continues to inspire confidence in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem”, she said.

She expressed gratitude to her predecessor, Gen (Rtd.) Martin Luther Agwai, recognizing his outstanding leadership and mentorship skills in steering the affairs of the Board during his tenure as the Board Chairperson.

She further called on the Board, management, and all stakeholders to collaborate and work together in strengthening the Leadway legacy, driving sustainable growth, advancing digital transformation while reinforcing Leadway’s role as a catalyst for financial inclusion and economic development.

By Sola Alabadan

The Chairman of FBS Reinsurance Limited, Mr. Bala Zakariyau has advised journalists to continue upholding the ethics of journalism profession, bearing in mind that journalism can make or mar a man.

Zakariyau, who spoke when representatives of the Nigerian Association Of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) presented the 2025 Appreciation Awards to him in Lagos recently, said he was doing what he felt should be done all the while, without knowing that a body of journalists was observant of his activities.

He expressed his passion for the growth and development of insurance industry, especially, assuring that he is ever ready to support every stakeholder, including journalists, critical to the future of the sector.

While appreciating insurance journalists who have been reporting the sector for decades during good and bad times, he said: “the advice I would give you is to continue doing journalism in the most ethical way. The point I would like to emphasise is to continue to do the things that you are doing in the most ethical way. Journalism can make or mar a man, but be the one who uses journalism to make a man because history don’t forget people of such virtue.

“And the pretentional race is now becoming even more serious because of the digital environment we operate in through social media and once you say something bad about somebody, it goes viral. To me, if I am a journalist and I sent somebody through that stress, I may not be able to sleep. So, honestly I thank you very much on behalf of my colleagues on the board of FBS Re. ”

Earlier, the chairman of the 2025 NAIPE Annual Conference, Mr. Roland Okoro commended Zakariyau for changing the face of the industry and some innovations he brought on board during his time as the president of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN). He also appreciated his professionalism and managerial acumen as the managing director/CEO of the defunct Niger Insurance Plc, as well as other positions he occupied in the industry.

Similarly, the chairperson of NAIPE, Mrs. Nkechi Naeche-Esezobor said, he was found worthy as one of the six personalities who deserve to be commended for their selfless service to the nation’s insurance industry, as the association celebrate 10 years of the annual conference, adding that, ‘the consensus was that you deserve this award looking at your pedigree and impacts you have had and continue to have in the insurance landscape.’

According to her, “the Association counts you worthy of its highly esteemed award, following your track records as the former President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria(CIIN) and leadership role across the industry including as MD/ Chairman of renowned Insurance Companies, including FBS Re, where you are currently the Chairman.”

Zakariyau has over 40 years of experience in the insurance sector in Nigeria and has served on the Boards of more than 20 national and multinational institutions. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Fellow of Nigeria Institute of Management, Fellow of the Institute of Marketing and Fellow of the Institute
of Directors.

He is the current President of Lagos
Business School (AMP4) and a member of the Governing Council of the Alumni Association (LBSAA). He was a Past President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. He holds an Associateship of the Chartered Insurance Institute of the UK and a Masters degree in Business Administration.

He has held various Senior and Management positions in the insurance sector before joining Niger Insurance Plc as a General Manager (Technical) in 1993. Due to the recognition of his professionalism and hard work, he quickly rose to the Executive Director Position that same year.

In 1997, he was appointed Managing Director of the company. After nine years of successfully heading the company’s affairs, he was appointed as Chairman of the company’s Board in 2006. He retired in December 2015 after 22 years of meritorious service to Niger Insurance.

The Managing Director of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Olaotan Soyinka has called on Nigerians to be cautious and safety-conscious during this period of the ‘ember’ months so as to safeguard lives and properties.

Olaotan stated that the possession of insurance policies should not be a reason for carelessness by holders of such policies.
He said “while it is generally known that accidents are common during the ‘ember’ months as a result of increased activities during the period with people rushing to meet up with their goals as the year rounds up, it is advisable that even in the midst of such activities, we should still exercise caution so that we do not get involved in unnecessary mishaps that could have been averted.”

Soyinka added that “while it is not in dispute that insurance helps to mitigate against risks, it should not be taken as a license to throw caution to the wind and be careless.”
He cautioned that rather, insurance should be seen as a respite in case of the unforeseen and inevitable.

It is widely known that cases of motor crashes, fire outbreaks and other perils are usually on the increase during the last months of the year, hence the need for caution to be exercised by all and sundry so as to prevent such misfortunes.

Sovereign Trust, a company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange commenced business on Jan 2, 1995 and has a network of offices spread across major commercial cities in the country. The company’s expertise is tailored towards non-life insurance products that include Motor Insurance, Fire and Property Insurance, Consequential Loss, All Risks, Houseowners/Householders’ Insurance, Burglary/Housebreaking, Professional Indemnity, Marine and Aviation Insurance, Personal Accident, Fidelity Guarantee, Cash-In-Transit, Products Liability, Machinery Breakdown, Contractor’s All Risk, Hulls and Passengers, Oil and Gas and a host of other policies under the stable of the organization.

The Underwriting Firm drives its operations with top-notch technology with great emphasis on human capital development and career advancement for members of its staff.