Nigeria’s Central Bank, Tax Agency, Bank Chiefs, Others Back Finance Journalists Confab, Experts To Examine Govt’s Digital Economy Growth Push
The crème of Nigeria’s financial journalists will between September 20 and 21, gather in Lagos for the 2025 annual workshop of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN), where experts will examine the journey so far in the Federal Government’s effort to align the country’s digital economy, ensuring it contributes more significantly to the the macroeconomic space.
The conference, now in its 35th edition, according to the organisers, will offer a convergence of ideas from regulatory and operations perspectives, besides providing fresh insights and practical strategies for navigating the fast-changing digital landscape.
Dr Oliver Alawuba, Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa Plc, and Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank Limited, are billed to set the tone for the discussion through their keynote speeches, where they would share perspectives on how financial institutions can adapt their operations, products, and services to a digital-first economy while ensuring inclusion and stability.
Dr Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), will then as Guest Speaker, address the theme for this year: “Bracing for the Digital Economy in Nigeria: Taxation, Banking and Finance,” where he is expected to to shed light on how Nigeria can harness technology to strengthen tax administration and improve government revenues in the digital era.
After which there will be a panel session expected to feature top industry players and academics who will engage the guest speaker’s presentation through various sub-themes. These panelists will include representatives from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) which as its name suggests owns the platform through which transactions involving different banks go through. Others are the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NAIA, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, through which toxic bank assets were acquired in the aftermath of the 2008 banking crisis by the Federal Government; the Dangote Group, PalmPay, a financial technology company, and the Nigeria Customs Service.
Dr Yinka David-West of the Lagos Business School, is expected to also bring an academic perspective to the discussions.
Other organisations and agencies that have also thrown their weight behind the annual conference include: the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Zenith Bank, First City Monument Bank, Unity Bank, and Stabic IBTC Bank among other key financial institutions.
The involvement of the bluechip organisations, the organisers believe, highlights the growing recognition of digital transformation as a driving force in taxation, banking, and finance, while underscoring the significance of FICAN as a platform for shaping discourse on the nation’s digital economy.
The conference is scheduled for Orchid Hotels, Dreamworld Africana Way, Lekki, Lagos.
Speaking on the conference, Chima Titus Nwokoji, chairman of FICAN, said the goal of the conference is: to build the capacity of financial journalists by equipping them with deeper knowledge of emerging issues in digital finance, enhancing the quality and accuracy of reporting of economic issues; while providing a platform for agenda-setting for various stakeholders in the economy.
This year’s edition, the statement quoted Nwokoji as saying, “is particularly significant because it coincides with our 35th anniversary.
“As Nigeria navigates the complexities of a digital economy, this platform will provide critical ideas and solutions that can guide stakeholders in taxation, banking, and finance,” he added.
With the active participation of government agencies, regulators, bankers, fintech leaders, academics, and the media, the 2025 FICAN Conference is expected to make far-reaching contributions to Nigeria’s digital economy roadmap.
FICAN, the umbrella body for journalists and editors of the financial sector, has over 150 members drawn from print, broadcast, and online platforms. Over the years, its annual conference has become a vital gathering for promoting dialogue between policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and the media.
