NDIC, NSIA, NCS, LBS, others celebrate FICAN’s resilience at 35th anniversary

Key stakeholders including the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and Lagos Business School (LBS) have commended the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) for its resilience in transforming financial journalism and contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth over the past 35 years.

At the association’s 2025 annual conference in Lagos, the organisations praised FICAN for its professionalism, capacity building, and role in strengthening collaboration between the media, regulators, and industry players.

Representing NDIC Managing Director, Mr. Thompson Sunday, the Director of Claims Resolution, Mr. Sule Olawale, described 35 years of sustained relevance as a remarkable achievement.

“My goodwill message will centre around appealing to you to continue the good works. I commend the past and current leadership of FICAN for sustaining the association for over 35 years. NDIC and FICAN have had a warm and cordial relationship. FICAN has consistently given us a platform to tell our stories and show Nigerians the work that the NDIC has done and will continue to do,” he said.

On behalf of NSIA, Head of Corporate Communications, Ms. Joyce Onyegbule, congratulated FICAN, noting that the association has been instrumental in amplifying the authority’s impact across the country.

“FICAN has showcased our work across the six geopolitical zones and provided a platform for us to share future plans. We extend our warm regards and congratulations on this laudable milestone and look forward to many more years of impactful partnership,” she stated.

Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Christopher Famyam, who represented the NCS, acknowledged the association’s role in educating and enlightening Nigerians through consistent reporting. He said the Customs Service, which has been modernising its operations since 2006, recently introduced B’Odogwu, an indigenous digital platform that has boosted revenue collection and enhanced trade facilitation.

“B’Odogwu is a unified customs software system designed to modernise trade processes and improve efficiency at Nigerian borders. It centralises operations for better management, monitoring, and risk control,” Famyam explained.

Also speaking, Dean of Accounting at LBS, Professor Akintola Owolabi, described FICAN as a beacon of financial journalism in Nigeria.

“For 35 years, the association has catalysed economic discourse by forging robust connections between the media, academia, and industry leaders. Its unwavering commitment to capacity building, incisive reporting, and fostering transparency has enriched public understanding of Nigeria’s complex financial sector,” he said.

Owolabi added that the conference theme was timely and aligned with LBS’s strategic vision of advancing digital transformation and cultivating leaders to drive Nigeria’s sustainable development.