SuperNews has announced the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Universal Insurance Plc, Dr. Jeff Duru, as Chairman of its highly anticipated Annual Conference and 10th Anniversary Celebration scheduled for July 7, 2026.

The media organization also confirmed that the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Royal Exchange Plc, Mrs. Idu Okeahialam, will deliver the keynote address at the conference, which is now in its fourth edition.

The conference, themed “Local Content & Digitisation: Building Synergy Between Oil & Gas and Insurance Sectors for Inclusive Growth,” will take place at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The event is expected to attract a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including regulators, industry operators, chief executives, policymakers, civil society organizations, media practitioners, academics, and students.

The Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr. Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, has confirmed his participation as Special Guest of Honour.

The President of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mrs. Ekeoma Ezeibe, is also expected to attend.

Other distinguished speakers lined up for the conference include the Managing Director/CEO of Stanbic IBTC Insurance, Mr. Akinjide Orimolade; the Managing Director/CEO of Guinea Insurance Plc, Mr. Ademola Abidogun; the Managing Director/CEO of Deepshores Energy Limited, Mrs. Nneka Obi; and Professor Olajide Fadun of the Department of Insurance and Actuarial Science, University of Lagos.

Explaining the rationale behind the conference theme, the Publisher of SUPERNEWS Nigeria and Convener of the event, Mrs. Ngozi Onyeakusi, said the conference aims to provide practical insights into how the oil and gas and insurance sectors can leverage technology-driven solutions to strengthen collaboration and address challenges associated with the implementation of Sections 49 and 50 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.

According to her, the provisions require operators in the oil and gas industry to ensure that all insurable risks related to their operations are covered by insurance companies and brokers registered in Nigeria.

The Act further stipulates that any operator seeking to place insurable risks offshore must first obtain written approval from NAICOM, which can only be granted after determining that local insurance capacity has been fully exhausted.

To facilitate compliance and address implementation gaps, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and NAICOM introduced operational guidelines in 2022.

However, industry challenges, including capital inadequacy among insurance firms, continued to hinder effective implementation.

Onyeakusi noted that the enactment of the Nigeria Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and the ongoing recapitalisation exercise have positioned the insurance sector for greater competitiveness and capacity enhancement.

She added that the conference will serve as a strategic platform for stakeholders to examine how digitisation, regulatory reforms, and effective implementation of local content policies can drive inclusive growth, deepen industry collaboration, and foster sustainable partnerships between Nigeria’s oil and gas and insurance sectors.