The Lagos and Kwara state governments, alongside the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), have pledged their unwavering support for the upcoming 7th annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP). This prestigious event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at the Abuja Continental Hotel (Old Sheraton), commencing at 10 am.
Chairman of the 2023 Conference Planning Committee, Danlami Nmodu, mni, made this announcement via a press statement issued by GOCOP’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Remmy Nweke. Nmodu revealed that a multitude of blue-chip companies, high net-worth entities, and government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are rallying behind this year’s conference.
Apart from the substantial support from Lagos and Kwara States, NNPC, and NCS, the event has garnered backing from influential organisations such as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), SEPLAT, Nigerians Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Dangote Group, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Nmodu also disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Sahara Energy, Sterling Bank, First City Merchant Bank (FCMB), Department of State Security (DSS), Ecobank, First Bank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Emadeb, Kogi State, T-Pumpy Concepts, and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) are among the prominent supporters of this year’s conference.
Nmodu extended an invitation to other corporate entities that have yet to join the GOCOP partnership, assuring them that such collaboration would be mutually beneficial.
The conference, themed “Nigeria: Roadmap for Socio-Economic Recovery and Sustainability,” promises a lineup of engaging activities. Distinguished stakeholders from various sectors, including politics, civil society, security, judiciary, and media, have already confirmed their participation.
The 7th annual conference, scheduled for October 5, will be chaired by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JAMB, with Prof. Uche Uwaleke delivering the keynote address.
Esteemed panellists for this year include Prof. Yakubu A. Ochefu, Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU); Hajia Hadiza Bala-Usman, Special Adviser to the President (Policy Coordination); and Mr. Johnson Chukwu, Chief Executive Officer of Cowry Assets Management Ltd.
Additionally, a pre-conference day on October 4 will feature the GOCOP business session, a luncheon, and an interactive segment with media managers from nationwide corporate entities and advertisers. The day’s activities will also include the presentation of the annual report and the election of the new National Executive Council (NEC) for the next two years.
Notably, past speakers at the GOCOP Conference have included Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, who have addressed critical issues shaping Nigeria’s present and future.
The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), established to uphold journalistic integrity in online publishing, boasts a membership of over 90 corporate publishers, comprising editors and senior journalists who have excelled in both print and electronic media and are pioneering the future of journalism in the digital age.