CICAN Chairman, Hassan calls on Manufacturers for Sponsorship of MAN Media Personality of the Year Award
- CICAN will soon declare Made-in-Nigeria media Day celebration Nationwide-Comrade Taiwo Hassan
The National Chairman of the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN), Comrade Taiwo Hassan, has called on manufacturers play a pivotal role in the sponsorship of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Media Personality of the Year Award which will act as a boost to participation, competitiveness, and the quality of manufacturing sector reportage.
The National Chairman CICAN, who made the call while delivering an address at the 10th edition of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Media Personality of the Year Award and Presidential Media Luncheon, held on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at MAN House, Ikeja, Lagos, cited a comparison with the maritime industry where regulators such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) offer prizes of ₦1 million and above to outstanding reporters.
He, however, commended MAN for sustaining the Media Personality Awards for a decade, describing it as a vital platform for rewarding excellence among journalists covering commerce and industry across print, broadcast, and online media.
Hassan, who is a five-time recipient of the MAN award, appealed to its leadership to commercialise the awards by allowing key manufacturing companies to participate and sponsor each edition with a view to increasing prize money to between ₦500,000 and ₦1 million.
He also called for greater policy consistency, full implementation of the Nigeria First policy, and stronger incentives for journalists covering the manufacturing sector, describing the industry as the livewire of Nigeria’s economy.
Hassan described his presence at the event as symbolic, coming barely two weeks after the inauguration of a new CICAN executive following the association’s successful election on January 15, 2026 and reaffirmed CICAN’s role as a strategic partner to MAN in advocating for the Nigerian manufacturing sector through credible media reportage.
The CICAN chairman decried the impact of frequent policy reversals by successive government administrations, stressing that such policy “summersaults” have disrupted operations, revenues, and long-term planning for local manufacturers.
He highlighted that the manufacturing sector remains central to Nigeria’s economic transformation and GDP growth, particularly at a time when the country is pushing aggressively to diversify the economy from oil dependence.
Hassan mentioned the recent data from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), which reported an achievement of $6.1 billion in non-oil exports in 2025, describing it as a positive scorecard for the manufacturing sector.
He also commended MAN and its members for their contributions to the milestone.
Speaking on the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy, the CICAN chairman affirmed that the association is eager to see the policy fully implemented, noting that CICAN would continue to support MAN in driving economic growth and industrial development.
Hassan hinted that CICAN is looking beyond Nigeria and is set to reposition it as a continental hub for manufacturing reportage, aligning with the commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to him, his leadership intends to link CICAN with manufacturing media associations across West Africa and the wider African continent, mirroring MAN’s leadership role in the Pan-African Manufacturers Association (PAMA).
The CICAN chairman revealed the proposed plans to introduce a nationwide Made-in-Nigeria Media Day, aimed at promoting local production and consumption, adding that the initiative would be executed in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), MAN, NACCIMA, NECA, SON, and other relevant agencies.
The proposed celebration, he said, would include wearing locally made fabrics, exhibitions, and nationwide media awareness campaigns in support of the Federal Government’s Made-in-Nigeria agenda.
Hassan congratulated winners of the 2025 MAN Media Personality Awards and reiterated CICAN’s commitment to supporting MAN’s advocacy efforts through responsible and development-driven journalism.
“CICAN will always be there for MAN, just as we rely on MAN for positive engagement with the media,” he said, while offering prayers for Nigeria and the continued growth of the manufacturing sector.
The event was attended by key stakeholders in Nigeria’s manufacturing and media sectors, including the President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye; Director-General of MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, mni, Vice President, Lagos Zone, Prince Felix Oba-Okojie; Chairman, Corporate Affairs and Strategic Planning Committee, Mrs. Kofo Akinkugbe, OON; as well as directors, branch chairmen, and senior journalists.