Ms. Prisca Soares was on Tuesday honoured with an award by the Professional Insurance Ladies Association (PILA).
Soares was recognized for her outstanding contributions in promoting the affairs of the women in the insurance industry.
The honour was conferred on her at PILA Worship at the ongoing 2021 African Insurance Organisation (AIO) Conference and Annual General Assembly in Lagos.
Presenting the award, a past President of PILA and Founding Chairperson of the planning Committee for the Pan African Movement for women in insurance called Pan African, Dr Tonia Smart said “Ms Soares has been a lot first for us. The first female CEO of NICON. The first female Secretary General AIO. She is very inspiring and supportive member”, she said.
She noted that Soares contributed immensely towards actualizing PILA Africa.
Similarly, the President of PILA, Mrs Joyce Ojemudia stated, ” We decided to honour Soares today because she is our own. And she has given so much to the insurance industry in Nigeria and have served meritorious which is PILA is her primary constituency . We actually acknowledged her strive not only in Nigeria but in Africa and in the international community at large”, she assured.
Soares in 1977 joined National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (now NICON Insurance) as the first Graduate Trainee and rose through the ranks to become the first female Managing Director in 2000. .Following her retirement from NICON Insurance in 2006, Ms. Soares was appointed Secretary General of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) in 2007 – the first woman to occupy the position.
She has served the Insurance industry in various capacities, both at home and abroad such as Chairman, Council of Bureaux of ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme 2004-2005, Executive Committee member of the AIO 2000 – 2006 and Executive Committee member of the Federation of Afro Asian Insurers and Re-insurers (FAIR) 2000 – 2006.
She has served on the Boards of Directors of various companies including NAL Bank (now Sterling Bank), Continental Reinsurance Co. Ltd. and Le Meridien Hotel, Abuja and was Chairman, Niger Insurance Plc (first female director), Chairman