L-R: Wife of the new President of African Insurance Organisation (AIO), Dr. (Mrs) Tonia Smart, standing by her husband, Mr Tope Smart being decorated by Winner of the Africa Insurance Organisation (AIO) Hall of Fame, Mr Elhassani Muhammed and Chancellor of Swearing-in and representative of the outgoing AIO President and Group Managing Director/CEO, Africa Re, Dr. Corneille Karekezi at the investiture ceremony of the 2021 AIO Conference and General Assembly in Lagos.
Mr. Tope Smart, Group Managing Director/CEO of NEM Insurance Plc has been installed as the 47th President of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) at the 47th AIO Conference & General Assembly in Lagos, Nigeria.
Smart in his speech unveiled a 5-Point Agenda to drive his leadership of the continental insurance body as follows:
- Increased Awareness
- Industry Digitalisation
- Collaboration with Other Insurance Markets
- Colloboration with the Government & Regulators
- Building the Trust of Insurance Customers/Consumers
Tope Smart, a graduate and an award winner from the University of Lagos also holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is an Associate member of both the Chartered Insurance Institute of London and the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.
Tope, an astute professional, believes very strongly in the entrenchment of insurance in the mind of every Nigerian. He is a Council member, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Council member, West African Insurance Companies Association (Ghana), Council member, Nigeria-Britain Association, Vice President and NOW President, African Insurance Organisation (AIO) and a past Chairman of the Nigeria Insurers Association to mention but a few.
Tope sits on the Board of several companies amongst which are RegencyNem Insurance (Ghana) Limited and NEM Asset Management Limited. In 2014, he was appointed by the Federal Government as Co-Chairman of Insurance Industry Transformation Committee.
He was also recently appointed as Chairman, Planning Committee of the University of Lagos Alumni Association’s Golden Jubilee Anniversary.
In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Tope has won several awards amongst which are Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Lagos, University of Lagos Alumni Association Golden Jubilee Special Recognition Award amongst others. He is also a two-time winner of the Businessday Top 25 CEOs award.
Tope is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.
