The Punch's correspondent wins Pan-African Insurance award

Ms Nike Popoola of Nigeria’s Punch newspaper has won the Pan-African Reinsurance Journalist of the Year Award.
Mr Steve Mbogo from Kenya won the Best Re/Insurance Industry Feature Article while Mr Evans Boah-Mensah of Ghana’s Business and Financial Times newspaper was awarded Best Re/Insurance Industry Analysis and Commentary.

The winners of the Continental Reinsurance Pan-African Reinsurance Journalism Awards were announced by Mr Larrey Chetty, Media Secretary for the Seychelles Media Commission at an awards ceremony on Thursday in Mahe, Seychelles.

The inaugural Pan-African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards according to the organisers received close to 100 entries from French and English speaking journalists from across Africa.

Popoola won with her article titled “Battle of the wits: local, foreign firms jostle for reinsurance deals” in which she explored the challenges the sector faces as African reinsurers struggle to gain a bigger share of the business in their respective countries, which is largely given to foreign companies and how retention of premiums in local markets will boost GDP in African countries.

Mbogo’s winning story “From small acorns grow mighty oaks” explored micro insurance in Kenya, a form of cover that paves the way for the development of corporate insurance in the country.

“Life insurance growing through micro and risk schemes” was the winning commentary by Boah-Mensah.
Continental Reinsurance initiated the awards in 2015 to recognise and acknowledge the good work of media on the continent.
Journalists were required to demonstrate how their articles raised awareness and understanding of the re/insurance sector in Africa.

Dr Femi Oyetunji, Group MD / CEO of Continental Reinsurance Plc said: “The insurance and reinsurance sector has a valuable role to play in Africa’s economic growth and development. That’s why Continental Reinsurance is committed to developing and recognising the respected contribution of journalists in Africa.”

One of the members of the international judging panel Ms Léone Ouedraogo said: “As a journalist, to see your work recognised is one of the best feelings on earth. It was a privilege to be involved in this important initiative.”
The independent, international judging panel consisted of Professor Jonathan Grun, Mr Michael Wilson, Mr William Wallis, Ms Julia Graham, Mr Afif Ben Yedder and Ms Léone Ouedraogo.
“We are greatly honoured that we could rely on a high calibre judging panel comprised of well-respected media experts who dedicated their time to support Africa’s growth through journalistic efforts,” Dr Oyetunji stated.