President John Mahama has appointed seasoned insurer and former Chief Operating Officer of WAICA Reinsurance Corporation, Dr. Abiba Zakariah, as the acting Commissioner of the National Insurance Commission (NIC).
Sources close to the appointment confirmed that Dr. Zakariah, who officially began her duties on Monday, February 17, 2025, took over from Michael Andoh, who has been acting as Commissioner since 2020.
About Dr. Zakariah
Dr. Zakariah brings over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. She is also the founder and Managing Director of Strategist Consortium, a management consulting firm.
Previously, Dr. Zakariah served as the Group Chief Operating Officer of WAICA Reinsurance Corporation before resigning in 2024. WAICA is owned by members of the West African Insurance Companies Association and operates globally.
She is a Chartered Insurer and a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of the United Kingdom, as well as the Institute of Risk Management Professionals of Ghana.
Dr. Zakariah holds a BSc Hons. degree and an MBA from the University of Ghana, Legon, and earned her PhD in Management Studies from the Swiss Management Centre.
She began her career at SIC (State Insurance Corporation).
Challenges and Focus
Dr. Zakariah’s immediate challenge will be addressing the ongoing insurance penetration issues within the industry. Industry observers expect her to implement new policy measures and offer incentives to insurance companies to overcome these challenges.
Recently, some market players have been advocating for another review of the minimum capital requirement for insurance companies.