Kola Ahmed set for visionary leadership in insurance institute

Driven by strong commitment to turn the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) into a world class professional body, Kola Ahmed, the sixth director general of the over 50-year-old insurance training body, is focused on achieving a service driven secretariat.

The challenges he noted includes continuous improvement of its service delivery to the teeming members of the Institute, reinforcing the growth agendas of successive presidents as well as guaranteeing the actualisation of the statutory goals and objectives of the Institute, chief of which is the provision of robust platforms for the determination of the skills and knowledge expected of those who hold themselves out as insurance practitioners in Nigeria.

“It is in response to these abiding challenges that I put forward my vision for taking the Institute to another and much loftier height, focusing on the Secretariat, Administration, Institute Members, the Institute as a Body, relationship with the Regulator (NAICOM) as well as the College of Insurance project.”

According to him, his administration would complement the CIIN President’s cardinal programme of promoting insurance education in Nigeria, which has commenced with the production of insurance textbook for secondary schools as well as donation of insurance books to higher institutions offering insurance across Nigeria.

With a bachelor’s degree with honours in Insurance from the University of Lagos obtained in 1981 and Master of Business Administration degree obtained in 2001 from the Lagos State University (LASU), Kola Ahmed is an associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of UK. He became a fellow of the same institute after passing the examination in 2006. He is also a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).

Ahmed’s career in insurance spans over 30 years, starting in 1981 at Hogg Robinson Nigeria where he secured his first employment after his National Youth Service (NYSC).

He has had a robust and varied experience in the insurance Industry across its various sectors and strata, having worked in both the brokerage and underwriting sectors.

Beginning with Hogg Robinson Nigeria 1981, Kola Ahmed worked till 1986 before joining Koguna Babura & Company up to 1991 when he left to join Nigeria French Insurance Company Limited up to 2007, before joining AIICO Insurance plc where he worked till 2009.

In 2009, Ahmed voluntarily retired from AIICO to set up Insurance Broking Company, Krabond Insurance Brokers as the chief executive officer, a company he managed until his appointment into the institute as deputy director general in April 2012.

Whilst still in acting capacity, Kola Ahmed set the path for a collegiate administration and showed a clear commitment to prudence and transparency, until his confirmation on November 12, 2013 as the substantive director general.

Kola Ahmed is a member of the various professional bodies both in Nigeria and abroad.