The Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) is set to commemorate its 20th anniversary with a national dialogue and awards presentation. The event, themed “FG’s $1 Trillion Economy: Role of Policy Makers, Stakeholders and Media in Its Actualisation,” will take place on October 20, 2026, at the Executive Hall of Barcelona Hotel, Abuja. The celebration will bring together key actors from government, industry, finance, manufacturing, commerce, and the media to discuss pathways towards achieving Nigeria’s ambitious economic growth target.
Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, and Dikko Radda of Katsina, alongside heads of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), are among the distinguished public and private sector leaders set to receive the CICAN Awards of Excellence. The awards are in recognition of their outstanding contributions to economic development, industrial growth, trade facilitation, investment promotion, and policy implementation that have positively impacted Nigeria’s commerce and industry sectors.
The CICAN 20th Anniversary Celebration Committee stated that the award recipients will serve as Special Guests of Honour at the event. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, are expected to attend the event alongside regulators, industry captains, manufacturers, investors, development partners, and other top players across Nigeria’s economic landscape.
The anniversary celebration marks two decades of CICAN’s commitment to specialised journalism focused on commerce, industry, trade, investment, and economic development in Nigeria. The Awards of Excellence are designed to recognise and celebrate individuals and institutions whose leadership, innovation, and policy initiatives have contributed significantly to national economic growth and transformation.
The awards will spotlight the developmental achievements of the recipients, particularly in areas such as industrialisation, infrastructure development, investment attraction, enterprise growth, and job creation. This recognition comes at a period when conversations around governance, leadership, and political aspirations ahead of the 2027 general elections are beginning to gain momentum.
CICAN has played a strategic role in advancing informed economic discourse, promoting accountability in governance, deepening public understanding of economic policies, encouraging investment awareness, and supporting Nigeria’s drive towards sustainable economic growth and national development through responsible and specialised journalism.
The national dialogue is expected to generate far-reaching recommendations on the roles of policymakers, the private sector, development partners, and the media in supporting the Federal Government’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy. The event will culminate in the presentation of the CICAN Awards of Excellence to deserving personalities and organisations that have made notable contributions to Nigeria’s economic advancement, industrial development, and national prosperity.
Key points
- Governors Seyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, and Dikko Radda to receive CICAN Awards of Excellence.
- The event will feature a national dialogue on pathways towards achieving Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy target.
- CICAN celebrates 20 years of specialised journalism focused on commerce, industry, trade, investment, and economic development.
