The 2026 Almond Insurance Industry Awards is set to take a broader business and economic dimension, with a distinguished group of guest presenters unveiled. Enyinnaya Abaribe, Hajiya Queensley Sofuratu Seghosime, Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu, and Professor Jacinta Opara are among the prominent personalities leading the lineup. This selection aims to create a stronger bridge between the insurance industry and other key sectors of the economy.
The organisers, Almond Productions Limited, say the event will promote a deeper understanding of insurance as an essential component of economic activity and risk management. According to Kesiena Ughwode, CEO of Almond Productions Limited, the initiative reflects the company's objective of expanding conversations around insurance beyond the traditional industry audience. Insurance remains fundamental to economic development, providing a structured mechanism for transferring and managing risks.
The involvement of stakeholders from outside the conventional insurance space is expected to stimulate conversations around how insurance can become more widely understood, adopted, and integrated into business and economic decision-making. The choice of guest presenters underscores the growing need for stronger connections between insurance and the wider financial ecosystem. Capital markets, education, public policy, and professional services all interact with risk, making insurance an important component of sustainable economic activity.
The Almond Insurance Industry Awards, which began in 2018, has traditionally recognised individuals and organisations regarded as change makers and innovators within Nigeria's insurance ecosystem. The 2026 edition places considerable emphasis on engagement, visibility, and the broader appreciation of the industry's role in the Nigerian economy. The event aims to move the conversation from insurance as a specialised financial product to insurance as an economy-wide risk management tool.
Among the recognitions planned for the 2026 edition is the Insurance Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented to foremost insurance professional Ope Oredugba. Oredugba is being recognised for his contributions to the development of Nigeria's insurance industry and for initiatives that have added value to insurance operations in the country. This recognition highlights the role of experienced professionals in shaping the industry's institutional development.
The recognition of Oredugba is intended to highlight the role of experienced professionals in shaping the industry's institutional development and advancing initiatives that have influenced insurance practice over the years. While the awards remain an important component of the event, the organisers are positioning the gathering as an avenue for wider industry interaction, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder engagement.
Modestus Anaesoronye, a leading Nigerian financial journalist, has over two decades of experience reporting on the insurance and pension sectors. He has covered industry developments in more than 14 countries across Africa and Asia and is a multiple award-winning journalist, honoured several times as Insurance Journalist of the Year and Pension Journalist of the Year by recognised industry bodies.
Key points
- The 2026 Almond Insurance Industry Awards expands its scope with guest presenters from critical sectors of Nigeria's economy.
- The event aims to promote a deeper understanding of insurance as an essential component of economic activity and risk management.
- The Insurance Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to foremost insurance professional Ope Oredugba.
