By Mary Odoma
The Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) is an agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, established on November 15, 1987, under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, with the mandate to provide agricultural risk insurance to Nigerian farmers. Incorporated in June 1988 and transformed into a corporation in 1993 under Act 37 of 1993, the agency remains the sole insurance company geared towards the provision of agricultural risk insurance cover to Nigerian farmers.
In a bid to reposition and deliver on the agency’s mandate, President Bola Tinubu on May 22, 2025, appointed Alhaji Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for an initial term of four years. Alhaji Yazid's brief is quite a tall order. Aside the expectation of Mr. President, which include facing the challenges of enlisting formidability into the entire insurance framework for Nigerian farmers, he is also to inject fresh and renewed vitality and strategic vision into the agency and its overall operation.
Agriculture is not just one of the critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, but accounts for over 90 percent of the country’s economic mainstay, employing most of its citizen and is no doubt one of the highest foreign exchange earner. The imperative therefore of providing insurance cover to the sector, thereby mitigating against risk and uncertainty is extremely paramount.
Annually, revenue that should otherwise be derived from the sector is lost through the debilitating effects of drought, floods, pests and diseases, the negative impact of over-grazing, fires and other natural disasters. However, ignorance and lack of proper awareness creation have also restricted citizens who should be beneficiaries of these laudable interventions, creating, therefore, the need to expand access to agricultural insurance through invigorated information dissemination and outreach, and ensuring that NAIC plays its critical role in the country’s food security strategy, this indeed cannot, therefore, be over-emphasized.
Undoubtedly, Alhaji Yazid came prepared. For him, getting to the apogee of this agency is a call to duty, responsibility and service to the fatherland and humanity. Armed therefore with a Bachelor's in Business Administration and Master Degree in Arts and Management from the prestigious University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom and highly experienced background, Alhaji Danfulani can be said to be a square peg in a square hole.
A renowned technical expert, with a patriotic commitment to national development and a seasoned administrator, Alhaji Yazid brings his wealth of academic and intellectual know-how and proficiency into giving purpose to the agency, through establishing its core existence and aligning its unique vision to profitable value propositions. This no doubt involve redefining the agency’s mission, and vision, as well as ensuring that they resonate with both the employee's and stakeholders’ desires as they fuse with the agency.
A highly inspirational leader, it is expected that the experience and expertized gained over the years as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Zamfara State and his services at the Central Bank of Nigeria will become handy in guiding positive decisions and shaping enduring organizational culture, creating a worldwide positive impact.
A grassroot mobilizer and dogged team player, Alhaji Danfulani will also refine and strengthen the involvement of stakeholders and leaders in the agricultural sector, enhancing purposeful collaboration with everyone that is involved and fostering a sense of shared ownership.
Known for his unambiguity and thoroughness, the Turakin Zamfara, will efficiently articulate his purpose clearly, thereby establishing the core purpose of the Renewed Hope Mandate as it affects the agency, defining crucial and effective communication, and aligning same with action in his daily operations, decisions, and culture. This means that every aspect of the agency, from strategy to employee behaviour, will essentially align with the core vision, mission and purpose of the agency.
Known for his effective employee motivation and the creation of a positive workplace ambience that is suitable for growth, development and optimum performance, Alhaji Danfulani is poised to create learning and growth opportunities, that will foster the development of new skills, and the ability for employees to take up new challenges, and also grow personally and prosper, thereby encouraging employees to adopt the core values of the agency and further align themselves with the growth and development of the agency.
Indeed, one thing that cannot be taken away from Alhaji Yazid is his capacity and capability to inspire and evoke positive emotions capable of motivating employees and stakeholders to work assiduously towards achieving any shared vision. It is believed that he will bring about a highly positive turnaround in the agency.
An ethical leader, he is poised to bring about the desired volte-face in the value re-orientation, redefining the mission, vision, and impact of the agency and leveraging on the support of all to ensure that he brings up a management that will be strategic in their thinking, prepared to implement desired changes and ensure efficient employee buy-in enhancing a better future for Nigeria.
There is no doubt that with Alhaji Danfulani’s sustained consistent record of honesty, forthrightness and resilience, he will certainly bring about an agency that is result oriented providing innovative insurance services towards sustained National Agricultural and Economic Development.
His open-mindedness and ready-to-learn approach to leadership is rated as one of his strongest leadership strength, enhancing a connect between work and impact and increasing contribution and identity and ensuring that he is factually and realistically able to raise the morale of the workforce and establish a system of discipline that will not only enhance performance but build for him signature accomplishment.
With Alhaji Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani coming on board as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Insurance Commission (NAIC), Nigerians can now look forward to an agency that will act with speed and integrity. His strong leadership skills and motivational, innovative leadership style coupled with lots of experience and his ability to align organizational actions with core purpose have been instrumental in bringing excellence in other spheres of endeavours and therefore will surely take the organization to greater heights.
Odoma is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja.
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