The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme has marked its 44th anniversary with a strong call for motorists across Ghana to ensure they receive their Brown Card certificate whenever they purchase motor insurance.
The appeal was made during this year’s ECOWAS Brown Card Day celebration, where industry stakeholders highlighted the importance of the scheme in protecting road users and facilitating the free movement of people and goods across West Africa.
Chairman of the Ghana National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, Fred Saka, said the initiative was established on May 29, 1982, in Cotonou, Benin, as part of efforts to advance regional integration and support cross-border trade and transportation within the ECOWAS sub-region.
According to him, the scheme was created to ensure that victims of road accidents involving foreign motorists receive prompt and fair compensation regardless of the country in which the accident occurs.
“Its main objective is to ensure prompt and fair compensation to victims of motor accidents caused by non-resident motorists travelling within ECOWAS member states,” he said.
The ECOWAS Brown Card serves as a common third-party liability insurance cover for motorists travelling across member countries. It provides protection against claims arising from death, bodily injury or property damage caused by visiting drivers in another ECOWAS state.
Mr Saka explained that the Ghana National Bureau, established in 1987 as the operational arm of the scheme in Ghana, is responsible for coordinating cross-border claims and issuing Brown Cards through licensed motor insurance companies.
He noted that the Bureau has over the years strengthened its operations through partnerships with key institutions, including the National Insurance Commission (NIC), the Ghana Insurers Association, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Borderless Alliance, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and various transport associations.
One of the Bureau’s major achievements, he said, has been its collaboration with the National Insurance Commission to integrate the Brown Card system into Ghana’s Motor Insurance Database (MID).
The integration has enabled the digitisation of Brown Card certificates, making it easier for authorities, insurers and motorists to verify coverage and improve compliance across the insurance industry.
Mr Saka expressed concern that many motorists remain unaware that the Brown Card component is already included in their motor insurance premium and therefore fail to request the certificate from their insurers.
He urged policyholders to insist on receiving their Brown Card certificate whenever they purchase either comprehensive or third-party motor insurance.
“It is paid for in your motor premium. The ECOWAS Brown Card risk can occur both within the country and outside the borders,” he said.
Industry players say wider awareness and utilisation of the Brown Card scheme could significantly enhance the protection available to motorists, passengers and accident victims, particularly as cross-border trade and travel continue to increase within the ECOWAS region.
The 44th anniversary celebration is being observed simultaneously by National Bureaux across ECOWAS member states to raise awareness of the scheme and its contribution to road safety, insurance protection and regional economic integration.
As West African countries continue to promote seamless movement across borders, stakeholders believe the ECOWAS Brown Card remains a critical tool for ensuring that accident victims are compensated quickly and fairly, regardless of where an incident occurs within the sub-region.
