World PR Day: NIPR Positions Nigeria at the Centre of Global Communication
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has declared that Nigeria is emerging as a global hub for strategic communication, as the country prepares to host the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) and unveil landmark institutions aimed atp advancing the public relations profession.
In a statement to commemorate the 2026 World Public Relations Day, themed “The Golden Age of Strategic PR,” NIPR President and Chairman of Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, said the profession has evolved beyond media relations into a strategic leadership function that shapes governance, business and national development.
According to him, public relations practitioners now serve as boardroom advisers, reputation managers and trusted counsellors, providing strategic guidance to institutions at the highest levels of decision-making.
Neliaku said Nigeria’s hosting of the World Public Relations Forum from November 15 to 21, 2026, in Abuja underscores the country’s growing influence in the global communication landscape.
He disclosed that the forum is expected to attract about 3,000 delegates from 126 member countries of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, including heads of state, communication experts, industry leaders, regulators and scholars.
“Hosting the WPRF affirms Nigeria’s ascension as a strategic voice in global reputation discourse. Nigeria is no longer merely a participant in global reputation management but has become a hub for communication excellence,” he said.
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The NIPR President also announced that the institute is establishing the University of Public Relations and Leadership (UPRL), which he described as the world’s first specialised university dedicated exclusively to Public Relations and Leadership studies.
He said the institution, being developed through a partnership involving government, professional bodies and international partners, is designed to produce future strategic leaders with expertise in crisis communication, executive advisory services and nation-building.
According to him, the university will be inaugurated on November 20, 2026, as one of the flagship events of the World Public Relations Forum.
Neliaku further revealed that Nigeria would also commission what he described as the largest national public relations secretariat in the world later this year, describing the development as another milestone in strengthening the country’s leadership in global communication.
He noted that Africa’s professional communication bodies, with NIPR as one of the founding signatories, had also unveiled the Africa Declaration on the Professionalisation of Public Relations and Responsible Communication, a continental framework promoting ethical standards, professional independence and responsible communication practice.
The declaration, he said, acknowledges the Nigerian model of balancing professional independence with government support and will be formally signed during the World Public Relations Forum in Abuja.
“As the profession enters this golden age, NIPR remains committed to equipping Nigerian practitioners with the strategic competence, ethical foundation and relationship intelligence required to lead at decision-making tables both locally and globally,” he said.
Neliaku urged public relations professionals to embrace the opportunities of the evolving profession by leading with integrity, providing strategic counsel and building trust, noting that public relations has become a critical driver of sustainable development and institutional credibility.
By PRNigeria
