Ebere Nwoji
Nigerian has been slated to host the maiden zonal meeting of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme in Lagos.
The National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, announcing the meeting said it would hold from April 13 to April 16, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom, Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos.
The Executive Secretary of the bureau, Dr. Raphael Abiiba, in a statement to the media said the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme served as a regional motor insurance mechanism guaranteeing compensation for third-party victims of road traffic accidents involving foreign motorists within member countries, thereby facilitating safe and seamless cross-border movement across the West African sub-region.
He further said the zonal meeting constituted a critical component of the scheme’s regional governance and operational framework, providing a platform for engagement among National Bureaux, regulatory authorities, insurance operators, and other key stakeholders within the ECOWAS sub-region.
According to him, the meeting will focus on advancing the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of the Scheme, particularly in the areas of cross-border claims settlement, operational standardisation, and institutional collaboration.
According to the bureau, the theme of the meeting, “The Digital Divide: Managing Change in the Brown Card Operational Strategy for Effective Cross-Border Claims Settlement,” reflects the growing imperative for digital integration and harmonisation of processes across member states.
He listed key areas of deliberation at the meeting as strengthening cross-border claims management frameworks, enhancing data integrity, transparency, and real-time processing, addressing operational and technological disparities among member states as well as promoting regulatory alignment and institutional coordination.
He said participants at the meeting would include a broad spectrum of stakeholders across the ECOWAS sub-region, comprising industry leaders, regulatory authorities, national bureaux, and other key stakeholders.
He said the Nigerian National Bureau was committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen regional integration, enhance operational efficiency, and uphold the integrity of the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme.
He added that the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme provided motor vehicle third-party liability insurance coverage across member states, ensuring prompt and equitable compensation for victims of cross-border road traffic accidents.
In Nigeria, the ECOWAS Brown Card is automatically included with motor insurance policies at no additional cost and can be obtained from licensed insurers.
With the 200 percent increase in premium payable on Motor Third Party Insurance policy by then insurance industry regulator the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in 2023, one of the benefits attached to the increase is that Nigerian motorists who have paid the right premiums for motor insurance will enjoy the benefit of ECOWAS Brown Card in the event of an accident when travelling within the West African sub-region.
For instance, a registered Nigerian vehicle with third-party motor insurance is covered when in and around any of the West African countries, and motorists from other West African countries into Nigeria are also covered in line with the Brown Card scheme.
The Brown Card provides motorists complete guarantee for a prompt, fair and immediate compensation for any accident they may cause outside their habitual residence country.
The cardholder is treated exactly as if the basic insurance policy was underwritten with a company located in the country visited or through which it transits.
Since the government authorities recognise the Brown Card, the motorist is exempted from any other formality relating to the guarantee against the risks of civil liability.
The April meeting scheduled by the bureau is to smoothen the operations of the scheme across the subregion and ensure a seamless functioning.
