The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and NEXIM Bank are championing the 35th Annual Conference of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN).
Scheduled for September 20, 2025, in Lagos, the conference is themed: “Bracing for the Digital Economy in Nigeria: Taxation, Banking and Finance.”
This high-level institutional collaboration—which also includes major banking participation from the United Bank for Africa (UBA)—signals a unified national commitment to tackle the challenges and maximize the opportunities presented by digital transformation.
The urgency of the summit reflects Nigeria’s position as a leading technology hub in Africa. The explosive growth of FinTech, digital payments, and e-commerce platforms has created a vast new frontier for economic activity.
However, this growth demands that regulators swiftly adapt traditional models to ensure financial stability, protect consumers, and, crucially, secure the government’s essential revenue base. The conference aims to deliver robust strategies for balancing innovation with necessary governance.
FIRS Chairman to Address Digital Tax Strategy
A core focus of the summit will be on how to efficiently and fairly tax the digital economy.
Zacch Adedeji, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, is slated as the guest speaker.
His address is highly anticipated, as he is expected to outline FIRS’s strategic blueprint for harnessing technology to strengthen tax administration and significantly boost government revenue.
This discussion will center on how to move from traditional, location-based tax models to data-driven solutions that can effectively capture income generated through online platforms.
Banking Leaders to Tackle Adaptation and Inclusion
The conference will also host a crucial discussion on the evolution of the banking sector.
Keynote addresses will be delivered by Oliver Alawuba, Group Managing Director of UBA, and Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank.
Representing both commercial banking and the agile FinTech space, these leaders will share insights on how financial institutions can best adapt their operations and services.
Their focus will be twofold: maintaining financial stability and security (a key mandate of the CBN and NDIC), and accelerating financial inclusion.
The talks will explore how digital tools can responsibly be deployed to bring previously unbanked Nigerians into the formal financial system, ensuring that digital progress benefits all economic segments.
FICAN’s Role in Shaping the Roadmap
The conference, marking FICAN’s 35th anniversary, serves a vital dual function. Firstly, it acts as a critical agenda-setting platform, generating well-informed recommendations for policymakers.
Secondly, it is a key capacity-building event for the media, ensuring financial journalists are equipped with the specialized knowledge needed to accurately report on the complexities of the digital economy.
The high-level participation underscores the expectation that the summit’s outcomes will yield concrete strategies, helping to shape Nigeria’s economic roadmap for the coming years.
