The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance scheme is undergoing a transformation and moving towards digitalisation and enhanced regional integration, BusinessDay has learnt.

The regional body, at its first Zonal meting hosted by The Nigerian National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme held in Abuja, emphasised the need to reposition the scheme as a forward-looking, regionally-aligned and digitally-enabled mechanism that protects lives, supports integration, while underpining the ECOWAS vision.

The meeting, with the theme, ’50 Years of Sub-Regional Integration: Contribution of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme to the Mechanism of Free Movement of People, Goods and Services within the Sub-Region,’ highlighted the scheme’s significant contribution to regional integration and mobility protection.

Ahmadu Usman Jaha, Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters, represented by David Abel Fuoh, reaffirmed the Nigerian Legislature’s commitment to supporting frameworks that ensure mobility protection and promote regional integration through insurance.

Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, Commissioner for Insurance in Nigeria, commended the leadership of the scheme and called for increased compliance, transparent claims handling, and digital transformation across all National Bureaux.

Omosehin noted that the ECOWAS Brown Card scheme had stood the test of time but must be made more responsive, agile, and digitally- enabled to meet modern-day mobility and insurance expectations.

Kunle Ahmed, Chairman of the Nigerian National Bureau, reiterated Nigeria’s central role in shaping reforms and advancing the scheme’s visibility.

Ahmed stated that the Nigerian Bureau remains fully committed to delivering on its mandate to improve cross-border insurance coverage, particularly in its leadership digitalisation, governance alignment, and stakeholder partnerships.

“As we celebrate 50 years of the ECOWAS Brown Card, our responsibility is not only to preserve its legacy but to prepare it for the future—one driven by integration, innovation, and institutional trust that transcends borders,” he said.

Also, Raphael Abiiba, Secretary General/CEO of the Nigerian National Bureau, stated that the meeting was a defining opportunity to consolidate achievements and steer the scheme towards a unified future.

“This zonal meeting is a milestone; offering us an avenue to look back with gratitude, confront current challenges with clarity, and embrace the future with a shared vision. “Regional protection must not just be promised—it must be felt and trusted by every road user,” he said.

A key highlight of the meeting was the comprehensive presentation on the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor Project, one of ECOWAS’ most ambitious infrastructure and integration initiatives.

Spanning across five Countries, namely, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, the project aims to enhance trade, transport, and mobility through a smart, borderless, and interconnected highway system.

For the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme, the corridor presents a game-changing opportunity to anchor insurance protection into the digital ecosystem of West Africa.

These include real-time verification of Brown Card certificates at borders, full integration with transport and Customs platforms, automated data sharing between National Bureaux and borderless claims initiation and monitoring.

Abiiba explained that the corridor is not just a transport infrastructure, but the nervous system of regional trade and mobility.

According to him, the ECOWAS Brown Card must be fully embedded within this system, serving as both a legal guarantee and a digital passport of protection for motorists.

The Secretary General said the integration also strengthened the scheme’s alignment with broader ECOWAS goals on free movement, regional integration, and economic development, making insurance not just a compliance tool, but a facilitator of trust and cross-border commerce.