NIPR President Urges Development Communication Against Corruption
President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, says Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful development without embracing development communication—a strategic approach that exposes the damaging consequences of corruption and mobilises citizens to confront it.
Neliaku made the remark on Thursday in Abuja at the 4th Economic Confidential Annual Lecture and 6th National Spokespersons Awards, organised by Spokespersons Digest, a publication of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and other media platforms. The event, themed “Anti‑Corruption Reforms, Economic Stability and Effective Communication,” attracted senior government officials, security chiefs, academics, corporate executives, public relations practitioners and journalists.
He spoke while presenting the Personality of the Year Award for Anti‑Corruption Reforms to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, who delivered the keynote lecture.
Neliaku praised Aliyu for presenting what he described as a development‑focused intervention that clearly illustrated how corruption undermines Nigeria’s economic, social, cultural and political progress.
“What you have given us this morning is development communication, and that is where we should be going as a nation because we are a nation in search of development,” he said.
He stressed that communication must go beyond information dissemination to providing direction, creating value and contributing meaningfully to national development.
“Once our communication is not relevant, then we don’t carry value. We must be in search of value, and one area that gives value is communicating development,” he added.
According to him, corruption has become a pervasive obstacle across virtually every sphere of national life and must therefore remain central to Nigeria’s development agenda.
“Corruption affects the economy, the cultural economy, the social economy and the political economy. It has become a culture that we must fight,” he said.
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Neliaku commended Aliyu for demonstrating that the anti‑corruption fight can yield meaningful results, adding that the lessons from his presentation would be particularly valuable in shaping anti‑corruption messaging for younger Nigerians.
Earlier, IMPR Chief Executive Officer, Yushau A. Shuaib, described the lecture and awards as platforms for promoting informed national discourse, recognising excellence and strengthening professional communication in Nigeria.
Shuaib also unveiled two new publications: “MNI versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying” and “AI in Crisis Communication in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects.” He said the AI research examines the growing role of artificial intelligence in media verification, fact‑checking, institutional response and public trust during crises, and disclosed that it has been shortlisted for the 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of awards to individuals and institutions recognised for outstanding contributions to strategic communication, public service and national development.
A major highlight was the historic third consecutive recognition for Hakama Sidi‑Ali, spokesperson of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who previously won the Outstanding Spokesperson in the Banking Sector Award in 2024 and 2025.
Other winners included Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, who clinched the Crisis Communicator of the Year Award; Celestine Achi, AI expert and communications strategist, who emerged Author/Scholar of the Year; and Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi, Senior Technical Assistant on Print and Digital Communications to Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, who won the Digital Communication Award.
Integrated Indigo Limited was named PR Agency of the Year; Andy Odeh of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) won the Corporate Communication Award; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN) received the Knowledge Hub Award; and the NIPR Kaduna Chapter won the Event Management Award.
Folusho Adeogun of the Nigeria Customs Service won the Young Communicator Award, Basheer Lukman of Kwara Express emerged Social Media Influencer of the Year, while the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) was recognised in the Public Affairs category.
By PRNigeria
