YOA Insurance Brokers: Changing the Insurance Narrative — and Upscaling Professionalism

YOA Insurance brokers started out over 20 years ago with the mission to provide risk management services in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and energy sectors.

Managing Director: Enitan Solarin LLB, BL, ACII

The company has expanded its expertise to cover other sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, engineering, aviation, agriculture, retailing, logistics, and transport.

As the first ISO 9001:2015 certified broker in Nigeria, YOA adheres to global operating standards. It has gained global brand recognition and reputation from its partnerships with international organisations.

YOA Insurance brokers has maintained its enviable status in the industry thanks to its differentiation strategy. Insurance penetration in Nigeria has been consistently low, as a result of low acceptance levels and a lag in harnessing the potential of data and technology. “We are constantly engaging digital and technological channels to collect consumer and industry data that guides us as we work with industry stakeholders to develop and market new and existing products,” says managing director Enitan Solarin.

“Wider finance and insurance inclusion will enable more insurance penetration in Nigeria. We segment customers (insurance users and non-users) demographically and take the time to study consumer behavior. Afterward, we go ahead and initiate product development with underwriters, to address these segments that are left out.

“For our corporate clients, beyond being their brokers we are also their risk management partners.”

Educating, Not Selling

YOA is aware that knowledge gaps exist in the Nigerian insurance sector, negatively impacting policy uptake. “We’re plugging in communication executions that shed more light on the schematics behind how insurance works for specific areas in businesses and lives,” adds Solarin.

“We use thought-leadership articles to highlight the benefits of insurance. Webinars and podcasts are interactive channels we use to hear from the audience, identify their pain points, and advise accordingly.
“Internally, we have an academy aimed at tutoring young graduates, upscaling ourselves, and improving our knowledge base.”

YOA is driven by innovation and a thirst for excellence. In every area of the business, it explores improvements and new approaches to create risk solutions. “The limitations of the industry do not affect our passion for being innovative,” says Solarin. “This has given us the reputation of ‘outside-the-box’ thinkers. Our culture is one of excellence and innovation.”

Enitan Solarin

Managing director Enitan Solarin has three decades of experience in insurance — locally and internationally. Her leadership has propelled the organisation to attain a spot in the country’s top five Insurance brokers. She is a firm believer in challenging the status quo and has agility embedded in her way of working. She is also playing a leading role in the drive for gender balance in the industry.