The human development arm of the insurance industry in Nigeria, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) says the 2009 edition of its annual education seminar is to hold in Abuja between December 2nd and 3rd.

Sheduled to hold at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, this year's seminar has as theme, "Developing grassroot insurance marketing through microfinance"

The Annual Education Seminar of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) is a forum for middle level managers and marketing executives. Over the years, the seminar has been a veritable platform for training, retraining and continuous professional development, with ample opportunities for knowledge sharing on various technical and managerial subjects that are bound to improve the performance of participants in the handling of insurance portfolios.

In a chat with Mr. Adegboyega Adepegba, Director General of the CIIN, he stated that the seminar was rescheduled from the previous date as a result of the Eid-l-kabir celebrations in order to allow members adequate time for the holiday. Adepegba also proferred reasons for the choice of microinsurance as the focus of the 2009 Education Seminar, stating that the Micro-insurance model is being canvassed globally as a veritable approach to the effective retailing of insurance products and services for purposes of meeting the insurance needs of the grassroot population, comprising peasant farmers, petty-traders and operators of rural cottage industries. Its relative success in developing countries such as India, Bolivia, Bangladosh and Uganda according to him, command significant attention for countries where replication of the model will serve similar market needs and expectations. Adepegba further stated that as a marketing tool, micro-insurance has the potential of redefining the insurance market in Nigeria, deepen insurance penetration in the country and challenge the skill and expertise of practitioners in arresting the sub-optimal performance of the insurance sector in the national economy.

The CIIN DG further stated that the focus on microinsurance was the CIIN's contribution to the deepening of insurance market in Nigeria and urged insurance companies to avail their managers and marketing executives the opportunity of skills redefinition, especially at this crucial time when the market is in dire need of diversification.

The seminar theme, according to the Dg subsumes a wide range of related issues, ranging from: The Role of Insurance branch offices in the development and management of microinsurance portfolios; the microinsurance model and grassroot insurance marketing; the Economic Meltdown and changing perspectives in insurance marketing.

CIIN's Abuja branch, chaired by Mr. John Atselefun is gearing up to make the seminar a memorable one for participants. In a telephone conversation, Mr. Atselefun said that the branch was immensely challenged by the slight shift in the seminar date but promised participants a thrill of the Abuja hospitality. He said that there were plans to have a guided tour as well as visits to Abuja landmarks