IWD26: Dr. Abiba Zakariah: Redefining insurance leadership through integrity, innovation and inclusion

For more than three decades, Dr. Abiba Zakariah has been a defining force in the domestic insurance and financial services landscape. Even before her appointment as Commissioner of Insurance at the National Insurance Commission, her career – spanning industry practice, executive leadership, academia, policy reform and advocacy – reflects a rare convergence of technical depth, moral authority and an unwavering commitment to inclusive growth, particularly for women in business.

Academic depth and professional authority

Dr. Zakariah’s leadership is grounded in exceptional academic and professional credentials. She holds a Doctorate degree in Management from the Swiss Management Centre, Geneva, and a Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Ghana, Legon. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of the United Kingdom (FCII-UK) and the Chartered Insurance Institute Ghana (CIIG), a Chartered Marketer, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG).

Her multidisciplinary profile is further strengthened by a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and extensive international executive training in insurance, marketing, risk and governance. Beyond her corporate and regulatory identity, she is also an ordained Pastor of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana, a dimension that profoundly shapes her values-based leadership style.

A distinguished career across industry and region

Dr. Zakariah began her professional journey as an Insurance Marketing Officer at the then State Insurance Corporation, now SIC Insurance PLC, before joining Ghana Reinsurance Company Ltd., where she rose through the ranks to become Managing Director.

Her regional influence expanded during her tenure as Group Chief Operating Officer of WAICA Reinsurance Company, operating from the sub-regional headquarters and contributing to insurance market development across West Africa. She later served as Group Chief Executive Officer.

In recognition of her experience, credibility and leadership depth, she was appointed Commissioner of Insurance (Acting) by John Dramani Mahama, placing her at the helm of Ghana’s insurance regulatory framework at a critical moment of reform and repositioning.

Thought leadership, governance and knowledge transfer

Dr. Zakariah’s influence extends seamlessly into academia and governance. She has served as a visiting Lecturer at the West African Insurance Institute and as a resource person at institutions including Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi and the Ghana Insurance University College (GIUC).

Her boardroom leadership includes chairing the Ghana Oil and Gas Insurance Board and previously serving on the boards of Hollard Insurance Ghana, Priority Insurance Company, Unique Life, CDH Group of Companies Ltd., and the Ghana Agricultural Insurance Pool (GAIP), among others.

Regionally, she served as the Chairperson of the Sierra Leone Insurance Industry Developmental Plan, reinforcing her standing as a trusted reform leader beyond Ghana’s borders.

Championing women and purpose-driven leadership

A passionate advocate for women’s advancement, Dr. Zakariah founded the Chartered Insurance Ladies Association of Ghana (CILAG) in 2015 and became its first President, creating a professional platform for mentorship, leadership development and visibility for women in insurance.

Her advocacy extends to social impact and well-being. As a sought-after motivational speaker, she has delivered talks at platforms including the University of Ghana and SOS Hermann Gmeiner College, and founded SilentScream – an NGO dedicated to mental health awareness and advocacy.

Reimagining Ghana’s insurance industry: The three strategic pillars

As Commissioner of Insurance, Dr. Zakariah has articulated a bold, future-focused reform agenda built on three transformative pillars:

1. Sanitising the insurance market: Strengthening governance, enforcing compliance, restoring trust and ensuring ethical conduct across the insurance value chain.
2. Growing the insurance market through technology: Leveraging digital innovation to expand access, improve efficiency, deepen consumer engagement, and modernise supervision and service delivery.
3. Positioning Ghana’s insurance market internationally: Enhancing competitiveness, aligning with global best practices and elevating Ghana as a credible insurance hub within Africa and beyond.

Together, these pillars aim to significantly improve insurance penetration currently around 1 percent of GDP by making insurance inclusive, consumer-centric and economically relevant. Under her vision, stakeholders such as transport unions, market traders and organised groups are not merely end-users, but active participants in product design and market growth.

Recognition and enduring impact

Dr. Abiba Zakariah’s contributions have earned her widespread recognition, including being named among PILA’s Top 50 Women in Insurance in Africa (2022), Business Insurance Women to Watch – EMEA (2019), and a recipient of the Northern Youth for Peace and Development Award (2017).

Life beyond leadership

In her personal time, Dr. Zakariah enjoys writing, reading, maintaining an active lifestyle and preaching the word of God – pursuits that reflect a life anchored in balance, faith and service.

Why she inspires
Dr. Abiba Zakariah exemplifies a new archetype of African female leadership technically grounded, morally guided, globally minded and unapologetically inclusive. Her journey continues to open doors for women, strengthen institutions and redefine the future of insurance in Ghana and the wider region.

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