Continental Re seeks use of local potential for transformation

The Group Managing Director, Continental Reinsurance Plc, Dr. Femi Oyetunji, has said that Africa can develop better by utilizing African solutions and local potentials in the continent rather than adopting foreign methods.

He said “I do not think it is by repacking products or structures borrowed from Europe or China that will change Africa, I think we must come up with African thoughts, principles and culture to transform our countries. According to him, the continent is blessed with huge potential needed for its growth and development.

He said this during the third chief executive officers’ summit for African operators sponsored by the company in Eden Island, Seychelles.

Delegates from different African countries attended the summit with the theme, ‘Navigating through global headwinds.’

Acccording to him, Continental Re will continually create steps to address those challenges facing the insurance sector. “I strongly believe that we will not get the inspiration from outside but one thing we will continue to do in Continental Re is that we are focusing on bringing back talent from the diaspora and this is one of the things we want to encourage.” he said.

Oyetunji expressed the Company’s commitment to continue to support underwriters and ensure capacity development in the African Continent.

However, the Commissioner for Insurance, Kenya, Mr. Sammy Makove, in his remarks said that in the last ten years, Africa has witnessed strong economic growth trajectory.

Speaking on the topic ‘Creating a value curve: How can foreign investors share and support Africa’s prosperity?’. He said that the services sector’s share of total employment and Gross Domestic Product has continued to grow exponentially, upstaging the traditional agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

According to him, this promising growth in the services sector is a paradigm shift not only in driving value addition but also serving as a critical input for other economic activities.

Other sectors where growth is expected, he added, are agriculture, water, fisheries, forestry, tourism, oil and gas.

However, he observed that foreign investment has not grown significantly over the last few years. Africa has an impressive economic potential with sustained GDP growth of five per cent over the last ten years.

The commissioner identified a growing consumer market due to rapidly growing population and a young and dynamic workforce in the continent.