Beyond the COVID-19 global pandemic: an assessment of agri-food related micro, small and medium enterprises' uptake of insurance covers

ABSTRACT

This study examined the impact of the global pandemic on level of production income and the uptake of insurance covers among agri-food related MSMEs' in South West Nigeria. The study adopted treatment effects model, the logistic regression model, Pearson's and Cramer's V correlation coefficient to analyse the data for the study. Sampled households were selected through a snowballing sampling technique using the online survey method to arrive at 192 MSMEs from Urban South West region of Nigeria comprising of 132 controls and 60 treated MSME operators. The treatment variable for this study is the uptake of insurance cover. Analysis of the sample for the study showed that the uptake of insurance cover MSMEs' in the study area stand at 31.25%. The result showed that MSMEs' who were affected by the global pandemic are more likely to take up insurance cover to mitigate future risks than those who were not seriously affected. The result of the treatment effect models further revealed that the production income and MSMEs' willingness to take insurance cover were both significantly impacted by the global pandemic. It was therefore recommended that insurance companies come up with tailor-made insurance products for MSMEs. Also, that flexible payments methods be allowed so that more micro enterprises can get cover which will in turn boost their confidence that in the event of an adverse market condition they will not be worse off.