NIPR Moves to Blacklist Quacks from Government PR Contracts
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is stepping up its campaign against unlicensed individuals and firms handling public relations contracts in government.
To advance this cause, the Institute has entered into a strategic partnership with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to enforce stricter compliance with professional standards and procurement regulations in the public communication space.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the BPP headquarters in Abuja, the Vice President of NIPR, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura, said that the activities of uncertified practitioners pose a serious threat to the integrity of government communication and the national economy.
“We have a number of quacks operating in the communication domain. We see how government agencies advertise PR jobs and they end up in the hands of unqualified firms. This has done a lot of damage,” he said.
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Professor Dandaura reminded the BPP that under the NIPR Act, it is a criminal offence for any individual or organisation without NIPR certification to bid for or execute public relations contracts in Nigeria.
He urged the Bureau to insist on certification as a mandatory requirement in all PR and communication-related procurements.
In his remarks, the Director General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, commended the Institute’s regulatory stance and affirmed the Bureau’s readiness to collaborate with NIPR to entrench professionalism in the procurement process.
He said the partnership would help eliminate the involvement of unqualified individuals in both procurement and communication roles.
“Procurement is not merely transactional. It is a tool for good governance. And under my leadership, we are committed to professionalism and results-driven partnerships like this,” Adedokun said.
Both institutions pledged to issue clear guidelines that will ensure only certified practitioners handle communication briefs in the public sector moving forward.
