Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Nigeria has been positioned at the centre of global communication discourse as it prepares to host over 3,000 delegates from 126 countries for the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF).
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has described the event as a defining moment for the country’s growing influence in global reputation management and strategic communication.
President and Chairman of Council of the NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, disclosed this yesterday, during the commemoration of the 2026 World Public Relations Day, organised in collaboration with the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State.
Speaking on the theme, “The Golden Age of Strategic PR,” Neliaku said the forum, scheduled for November 15 to 21, 2026, in Abuja, would attract presidents, industry regulators, communication executives, scholars and public relations professionals from member countries of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
Represented by Dr. Paulinus Nsirim, Neliaku said hosting the prestigious global gathering marks Nigeria’s emergence from being merely a participant in international reputation management to becoming a recognised hub for communication excellence.
“This landmark event affirms Nigeria’s ascension as a strategic voice in global reputation discourse. Nigeria is no longer merely a participant in the business of global reputation management but has become a hub for communication excellence,” he said.
He added that the Abuja forum would also witness the formal signing of the Africa Declaration on the Professionalisation of Public Relations and Responsible Communication, a continental charter aimed at strengthening ethical standards, professional accountability and responsible communication practice across Africa.
Neliaku explained that the declaration, endorsed by leading professional communication bodies across the continent, recognises the Nigerian model of balancing professional independence with government support to deepen the practice of public relations in Africa.
He further revealed that the forum would feature the inauguration of the University of Public Relations and Leadership (UPRL), described as the world’s first specialised university dedicated exclusively to public relations and leadership studies.
The institution, he said, is being developed through a Triple Helix partnership involving government, professional institutions and international strategic partners to produce future communication leaders, crisis managers and trusted advisers for both public and private organisations.
Reflecting on this year’s World Public Relations Day theme, Neliaku said public relations had evolved beyond media engagement into a strategic leadership function that provides trusted counsel at the highest levels of governance and corporate management.
According to him, practitioners now serve as boardroom strategists, reputation architects and custodians of institutional credibility whose responsibilities are central to national development and organisational sustainability.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Kenneth Nweke described strategic public relations as a critical instrument for promoting good governance, enhancing corporate performance and driving sustainable development.
He noted that governments that communicate transparently and consistently are more likely to earn citizens’ trust, reduce misinformation and encourage meaningful civic participation.
Nweke also argued that effective communication strengthens investor confidence, improves a country’s international image and supports the attraction of foreign direct investment, tourism and global partnerships.
He maintained that strategic public relations should no longer be regarded as a support function but as an essential component of national development planning.
The professor urged practitioners to embrace strategic thinking, digital competence, research-driven decision-making and crisis communication skills, stressing that the profession now demands leadership capabilities capable of managing misinformation, cyber threats and reputational risks.
Earlier, Chairman of the NIPR in Rivers State, Rev. Francis Asuk, emphasised that trust remains the most valuable currency in communication management, warning that once credibility is compromised, both organisations and professionals lose public confidence.
He said public relations professionals must remain committed to truth, ethical conduct and reputation management, insisting that the profession is not about image laundering but about building trust through honest and responsible communication.
Asuk noted the evolution of public relations into a strategic leadership function places greater responsibility on practitioners to foster positive citizen engagement and contribute meaningfully to national development.
