FICAN to Organise Annual Conference

The President/Chief Executive of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Mr. Andrew Alli and other leading experts in the financial sector are expected to proffer solution to the challenges of infrastructure financing in the country, at the 2017 annual conference of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN). Others expected at the annual event which holds at the Orchid Hotels, Lekki, Lagos, on Saturday, 16th September, include the Managing Directors/Chief Executive Officers of Heritage Bank Plc, Mr. I fie Se ki bo; Rand Merchant Bank, Mr. Micheal Larbie; SunTrust Bank Limited, Mr. Mohammed Jibrin; Viathan Engineering Limited, Mr. Ladi Sanni; as well as the Acting Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Engr. Chidi Kingsley Izuwah.The theme of the conference is: ‘Financing Nigeria’s Infrastructure: Issues, Challenges, and Options.’ FICAN, an association of financial journalists, in a statement, stressed that the place of infrastructure in economic and social development of a country cannot be over emphasised. Infrastructure financing, according to the association, plays critical roles in promoting economic growth, standard of living, poverty reduction by enhancing productivity, improving competitiveness and linking people and organisations together through telecommunications. Infrastructure financing also contribute to environmental sustainability. Nigeria is currently faced with huge infrastructural gap that has hindered its earnest desire to exploit its rich natural and human resources for its development. For instance, in spite of the country’s huge oil and gas, sunlight and hydro resources, Nigeria cannot generate enough electricity to drive its development.