Experts urge media to drive insurance awareness, risk literacy
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Experts have urged journalists to strengthen coverage of insurance and risk-related issues to improve public awareness and insurance literacy.
They made the call at a two-day, all-inclusive mass media seminar themed “The Universe of Insurance and Journalism: Risk Everywhere, in Everything,” held on Tuesday in Lagos.
Professor Adepoju Tejumaiye, a lecturer and former Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), while speaking on “Bridging the Information Gaps and Financial Adversities,” said the media could help Nigerians understand financial risks, risk mitigation and the role of insurance in protecting lives, property and livelihoods.
He said journalists should move beyond reporting disasters and losses to explaining how insurance could help individuals and businesses manage such risks.
”Developing insurance awareness is our responsibility as media professionals,” he said, explaining that people need to understand what insurance is all about. “They need to understand that insuring themselves and their property is not a loss.
They need to understand that people pool their resources together so that those who suffer losses can be supported. It is for the benefit of society.”
Speaking on the legal framework governing the sector, Dr. Omogbai Omo-Eboh, SAN, said the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIRA) 2025 had consolidated various insurance laws into a single legal framework and expanded the scope of compulsory insurance.
He identified public distrust, delayed or disputed claims, weak enforcement, complex insurance language and poor consumer education among factors limiting insurance uptake, urging journalists to help consumers understand their rights and obligations.
Also, Medical Director of Olive Medicare Hospital, Lagos, Dr Augustine Aipoh, said journalists should move beyond awareness creation to investigating the implementation of healthcare and health insurance policies and holding government and healthcare providers accountable.
He said journalists should acquire sufficient knowledge of insurance to explain terms and benefits to the public, investigate complaints from insured patients and examine issues including access, quality of care, accreditation, claims and the utilisation of funds allocated to healthcare.
”A lot of what we do is actually reporting. But we need some in-depth knowledge about health insurance, because that’s what we’re going to deal with anyway.
”So, when you report, you don’t just report. You also do it for society to understand the concept of the things that are ongoing,” he said.
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