BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—emPLE Nigeria said it paid over ₦7 billion in claims to policyholders in 2025, underscoring its commitment to meeting obligations and supporting customers during times of need.
The company disclosed this in a statement made available to BusinessTodayNG.
A breakdown of the claims shows that the life business paid over ₦4.1 billion, while the general insurance arm disbursed more than ₦3.6 billion across key sectors, including energy, engineering, motor, marine cargo, and marine hull.
Commenting on the development, Olalekan Oyinlade, Chief Executive Officer of emPLE General Insurance Limited, said insurance remains a “sacred obligation” to provide support in times of adversity.
“Insurance, at its core, is a promise, a sacred obligation to provide support in times of adversity, and in 2025, we honoured that promise,” he said.
He added that amid ongoing industry reforms, the company remains focused on strengthening underwriting discipline, improving claims efficiency, and building a more resilient business capable of delivering consistent value to customers and stakeholders.
Also speaking, Jolaolu Fakoya, Managing Director of emPLE Life Assurance Limited, said life insurance plays a critical role in providing financial reassurance to families during periods of loss.
“In Life Insurance, our role in providing reassurance in moments of uncertainty is close to our heart,” he said.
He cited examples of claims paid, including ₦112 million to the family of a 47-year-old breadwinner, ₦21 million to a bereaved mother, and ₦205 million to another family following the loss of a 55-year-old loved one.
Fakoya added that the company is focused on deepening insurance penetration by simplifying access, improving customer experience, and strengthening public trust in the value of insurance.
“This is to ensure more Nigerians understand the value of insurance and benefit from it when it matters most,” he said.
The company said the milestone reflects its continued growth and its commitment to transforming insurance from a transactional product into a reliable support system that enables individuals and businesses to face the future with confidence.
About emPLE
emPLE is a Nigerian insurance brand operating through emPLE General Insurance Limited and emPLE Life Assurance Limited, focused on delivering accessible protection solutions grounded in governance discipline, operational excellence, and sustainability principles.
BY JAMES OBIOMA—The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) has officially cleared the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of a N62.2 billion under-remittance allegation originally raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in its 2019 audit report.
The clearance followed an investigative session on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, during which the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, successfully defended the Service by proving that the alleged shortfall was a misclassification of revenue by auditors.
The original query, read by a representative of the Auditor-General under the direction of SPAC Chairman, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, had alleged that out of N691.242 billion generated by Customs in 2017, only N629.23 billion reached the Federation Account, leaving a balance of N62.2 billion.
Defending the Service’s financial integrity, CG Adeniyi explained that the multi-billion naira deficit was completely non-existent.
“The under-remittance of N62.2 billion levelled against Customs in the 2019 audit report was wrongly arrived at through misclassification of levies collected,” Adeniyi stated. “While most of the levies are to be collected and remitted into the federation account, others like the ones on local production of wheat, textiles and wines, etc do not go into the federation account, the totality of which accounted for the alleged unremitted N62.2 billion.”
Following identical, convincing clarifications on the first three major queries, a member of the committee, Senator Babangida Hussaini, wondered why the issues had not been ironed out sooner. He noted that as a former civil servant, such straightforward technicalities should have been resolved at the preliminary audit level rather than escalating to a full Senate investigation.
Polaris Bank Limited has debunked reports claiming that over 34 persons died in a fire incident at its Broad Street branch in Lagos, describing the claims as false and misleading.
The bank issued the disclaimer in a post on X on Thursday, insisting that there were no casualties or fatalities in the fire incident.
A fire broke out on Thursday afternoon at a multi-storey building housing a Polaris Bank branch on Broad Street, Lagos Island.
The bank said the fire incident, which originated from a customer’s vehicle parked on the third-floor car park, was contained following the activation of its emergency response procedures and the prompt intervention of firefighters.
“A fire incident occurred today at the car park of our Broad Street Branch, Lagos, originating from a customer’s vehicle parked on the 3rd-floor car park.
“The fire was swiftly contained following the activation of our emergency response procedures and the prompt intervention of firefighters,” the bank stated.
Polaris Bank said it has commenced investigations to determine the cause of the fire incident, noting that reports claiming that over 34 persons were feared dead are false and misleading.
“We confirm that there were no casualties or fatalities. Reports claiming that over 34 persons were feared dead are false and misleading.
“Investigations into the incident are ongoing. We thank emergency responders, our staff, customers, and stakeholders for their support,” the bank said.
Polaris Bank urged the public to rely only on credible news platforms and its official channels for accurate information and to disregard false reports circulating online.