Monday, 2 September 2013

IFRS: Brokers adopt single template


Chuks Udo Okonta

Insurance brokers under the umbrella of Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) have adopted a unified International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) template to enable them have a seamless transition and possibly forestall the challenges presently faced by some underwriters in getting their 2012 accounts approved.

President of the NCRIB, Mrs Laide Osijo, in a telephone interview, exclusively told Inspen that the NCRIB has engaged IFRS experts to develop a unify template that members would all adopt in preparing that 2013 accounts.  

Brokers according to IFRS guidelines issued by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) are to prepare their 2013 accounts with IFRS requirements.

 Osijo noted that brokers are assiduously working hard to have a seamless transition, adding that some brokers have aligned their accounts with the IFRS. She said the adoption of a unified template would enable brokers produce their accounts at an affordable cost.  

She said: “We are really preparing for transition to IFRS. The NCRIB as a secretariat is IFRS complaint. Our 2012 and 2013 accounts will be prepared in line with IFRS requirements. We have gone through trainings and our accounts have been prepared accordingly. For members’ accounts, we have set up an accounting committee that is working with an external consultant to develop the template that we will use. We are trying to conform to the training we had with NAICOM. Some of the big brokers and few small ones in their personal rights have complied. Like my company we have complied.

“The companies that have complied selected the templates that suit them, but we want a unified template that will be attested to by NAICOM, that will make it economical and cost effective for all brokers. For if we allow brokers to do it individually, it will be costly, we want to do it as a group using one template. And we are seriously working on that.

“Note that our transition will start with 2013 accounts; we are prepared, for we would not want to experience what some underwriters are passing through at the moment.”

 

No comments: