Nigeria Re Sets Its Sights on MENA Growth with Ines Ben Ftima at the Helm
Nigeria Re, the Abuja-based reinsurer expanding beyond West Africa, has appointed Ben Ftima as Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The appointment underlines Nigeria Re’s ambition to anchor client relationships across a complex reinsurance corridor stretching from Casablanca to Muscat. Her blend of technical expertise and brokerage leadership positions Nigeria Re to compete aggressively in a market reshaped by fresh capital, sophisticated risks, and tighter regulation.
Nigeria Re Signals Intent with a High-Profile MENA Appointment
Over the past five years the group has shifted from a largely domestic focus to a hybrid strategy that combines African catastrophe insight with wider geographic diversification. By hiring an executive with deep ties to Maghreb and Gulf cedants, Nigeria Re is delivering three clear messages:
Closer proximity to cedants: Treaty negotiations and facultative placements are quicker when led by someone fluent in local underwriting cultures.
A stronger specialty pipeline: Energy, infrastructure, and takaful-driven personal lines are booming in MENA; the company wants a larger share.
Enhanced regulatory credibility: supervisors now require on-the-ground expertise; appointing a Tunis-trained professional satisfies that benchmark.
Nigeria Re Leverages Ben Ftima’s Dual Academic Foundation
Ben Ftima brings two master’s degrees: one in Management Sciences (Accounting and Financial Techniques) from ISCAE Tunis and another in Entrepreneurship and Business Creation from the Higher School of Commerce of Tunis. That combination fuses quantitative rigour with entrepreneurial agility—skills vital for structuring treaties while guiding market entry.
Nigeria Re Benefits from Ben Ftima’s 15-Year Career Trajectory
Atlas Reinsurance Consultants (ARC), 2009–2021
Ben Ftima started as a Reinsurance Technical Accounting Officer handling premium and loss bordereaux for emerging-market portfolios. She soon managed retrocession calculations and liaised with Lloyd’s brokers, earning a reputation for meticulous statement reconciliation.
Aon Representative (ARS Tunisia), 2022–2023
Promoted to Deputy Director of Reinsurance, she oversaw treaty and facultative placements across Maghreb property, engineering, and casualty lines and introduced an actuarial pricing dashboard that cut renewal turnaround by 15 percent.
Tripolis Insurance Brokers, 2023–2024
As Reinsurance Director, she expanded facultative capacity for Libyan energy risks amid geopolitical volatility and brokered the firm’s first multi-year excess-of-loss deal, reducing net retentions for local insurers.
This track record gives the group the skill-set it needs to win cedants seeking both capacity and advisory value.
Nigeria Re Crafts a Three-Pillar Strategy for MENA Growth
1. Nigeria Re Tailors Treaty Capacity to Climate and Cat Hazards
Floods, earthquakes, and desertification are rising across the MENA belt. The group will offer bespoke per-risk and catastrophe XoL layers, backed by proprietary flood-modelling tools honed in West Africa.
2. Nigeria Re Develops Sharia-Compliant Retakaful Solutions
Islamic-finance penetration is high in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Leveraging Ben Ftima’s North-African background, the group will design retakaful structures that satisfy religious requirements while attracting global capital.
3. Nigeria Re Delivers Technical Advisory and Data Transparency
Mid-tier insurers in Morocco, Tunisia, and Jordan often lack actuarial depth. The group’s new regional office will offer risk-engineering workshops and quarterly loss-trend dashboards, closing knowledge gaps and reinforcing renewal loyalty.
Nigeria Re Confronts Key Challenges in the MENA Zone
Regulatory mosaic: Solvency II-style rules are emerging but vary widely; the group must align capacity with differing retention thresholds.
Currency and political risk: Egyptian exchange-rate swings and Levantine tensions can distort loss reserves; a diversified retrocession panel is essential.
Competition from global heavyweights; Swiss Re, Munich Re, Africa Re, and Trust Re already dominate; The group must differentiate through agility and cultural affinity.
Nigeria Re Promises Tangible Benefits for Cedants
Faster quotation cycles: A regional hub with Arabic- and French-speaking staff will accelerate facultative quotes and treaty endorsements.
Broader risk appetite: Expect capacity for renewables, cyber cover for regional banks, and parametric drought products for North-African agriculture.
Transparent claims handling: The group pledges 48-hour acknowledgments for new losses and quarterly claims clinics for major settlements.
Nigeria Re Aligns with a Continental Expansion Trend
African reinsurers are exporting catastrophe-modelling expertise to markets with similar climates. Nigeria Re’s MENA move mirrors Africa Re’s Casablanca hub, ZEP-RE’s Gulf partnerships, and Kenya Re’s Cairo desk—yet distinguishes itself by appointing a leader deeply rooted in Maghreb and Gulf cultures.
Nigeria Re’s Appointment of Ben Ftima Marks a Strategic Pivot
By elevating Ftima to Regional Director, the group is doing more than filling a post—it is declaring a bold expansion into an opportunity-rich region. Her mix of technical discipline, negotiation savvy, and cultural fluency equips the group to transform MENA potential into measurable growth. Cedants can expect faster service and tailored capacity, while the group gains diversified premiums and stronger global recognition. This strategic step positions Nigeria Re to convert regional prospects into lasting value for clients, partners, and shareholders alike.
