PRNigeria Fellowship: IMPR Chairman Tasks Young Communicators on Leadership, AI, Professional Excellence
By Maryam G. Uba, Nasir M. Sabo and Muhammad I. Ibrahim
The Chairman of the Board of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), Professor Sule Ya’u Sule, has urged young communication professionals to prepare themselves for leadership roles, warning that the sustainability of public relations and journalism depends on a new generation willing to learn, participate and take responsibility.
Prof. Sule made the call at the opening of the Kano cohort of the 2026 PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship (YCF), where he challenged participants to maximise the intensive training and mentorship opportunities provided by the programme.
The 2026 fellowship, themed “Ethical Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” in partnership with Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo Foundation (AAG) is part of PRNigeria and IMPR’s continuing initiative to nurture young media and communication professionals capable of navigating emerging technologies while upholding ethics, accuracy and professional responsibility.
He said experienced practitioners would inevitably give way to younger professionals, making deliberate knowledge transfer and capacity building critical to the future of the communication industry.
“We are ageing and may even die, but the PR job must continue,” Sule said.
He urged the fellows to take their assignments seriously and participate fully in the programme, describing the fellowship as a rare opportunity to interact with accomplished practitioners and acquire professional knowledge that could ordinarily cost substantial amounts to obtain elsewhere.
The Kano programme is the final cohort of the 2026 fellowship, following earlier editions in Abuja and Ilorin.
Founder of the fellowship and Chief Executive Officer of IMPR, Alhaji Yushau A. Shuaib, said only 30 applicants were selected from 691 applications received nationwide, with 10 fellows admitted at each of the three centres in Abuja, Ilorin and Kano.
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Launched in 2024, the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship is designed to equip emerging professionals with practical skills and mentorship for careers in journalism, public relations and strategic communication.
Shuaib said the programme combines classroom instruction with practical exercises, professional engagements and exposure to experienced practitioners to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the realities of contemporary communication practice.
He identified development journalism, solutions journalism, strategic communication, artificial intelligence and fact-checking among the critical areas young professionals must master as technology continues to reshape the media and communication landscape.
According to him, the Kano fellows will be inducted into the programme’s alumni network after completing their training, bringing the total number of beneficiaries across the three editions of the fellowship to 90 young communicators.
As part of efforts to deepen their understanding of public relations practice, the fellows were introduced to Ahmed Balarabe Sa’id’s book, Aren’t We All PR People? A Frank Career Guide for Beginners and Practitioners.
The 12-chapter publication traces communication from its foundations to contemporary professional practice, addressing subjects including ethics, crisis management and artificial intelligence.
A review of the book by PRNigeria’s Kabir Abdulsalam noted that the author presents public relations beyond publicity and media exposure, emphasising research, strategic planning, relationship management and accountability as fundamental elements of professional practice.
Speaking on her experience, one of the fellows, Fatima Boyi Mahuta, described the programme as demanding but rewarding, saying its rigorous approach had challenged her to move beyond her limits and develop new professional capabilities.
Another participant, Nasir Muhammad Sabo, who delivered a vote of thanks, expressed appreciation to Prof. Sule for engaging the fellows and sharing insights from his professional experience.
Maryam G. Uba, Nasir M. Sabo and Muhammad I. Ibrahim are participants at PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship in Kano
