The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, on Saturday, carried out a ‘Road Show’ to sensitise residents to the forthcoming 2026 Global Alliance World Public Relations Forum (WPRF), starting on Nov. 15 in Abuja.

The chairman of the chapter, Stanley Ogadigo, said in an interview during the event that the world forum was coming to Nigeria for the first time, hence the road show.

“This project is very significant to Nigeria because, for us, it’s a reputation project for the country.

“The country has fought very hard to win this hosting right,” he said.

According to him, the theme of the event is Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.

“Now, we need to know what responsible communication is all about. The challenge of the world today is violent communication.

​”This is the first time the WPRF will be hosted in Nigeria. For the entire continent of Africa, this is the second time; the first time was in South Africa in 2007.

“Nigeria is hosting the WPRF alongside the 37th Annual General Conference of the African Public Relations Association. The two of them are holding simultaneously in Nigeria at the same time.

“We all know that Nigeria has been painted with a very harsh brush that is not supposed to be. We are misconceived by the international community.

“This is one project that the NIPR is bringing to the country to use to redefine Nigeria’s reputation before the global community.

“So, for us, it’s a reputation project for the country,” he said.

According to Mr Ogadigo, who is also NIPR’s director of public relations, there is a need to redefine the reputation of Nigeria because the NIPR wants the reputation to be globally competitive.

“We are very glad that 126 countries of the world will be coming to Abuja in Nigeria for the WPRF; that is a big deal.

“This is the moment that Nigeria needs to seize to really tell her story,” he said.

Also speaking, the chairman of the National Planning Committee for 2026 WPRF, Suleiman Haruna, expressed concern over the challenges facing the art of communication, especially in the social media era.

“It’s a constitutional right for people to express themselves, but unfortunately, your rights should not smear the rights of the next person. Where your rights stop is where another person’s starts.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people have lost that and they are abusing that privilege of freedom and causing problems everywhere, especially now with the arrival of AI.

“So, there’s need for us to sit down, discuss and come up with ways and means to control what’s going on, so that at least the issue of information integrity will be addressed.

“That is why we have this key. And that’s why the whole world is converging on Abuja, from Nov. 15th,” Mr Haruna said.

Similarly, a member of the national planning committee, Inimfon Etuk, said the NIPR was hitting the streets nationwide to sensitise Nigerians to the WPRF holding in Abuja at the Transcorp Hilton event centre.

“We are going to be welcoming delegates from 126 countries; these are public relations professionals, strategic communications experts, heads of corporate communications of global agencies, renowned agencies of public relations consultancies, etc.

“They’ll be converging on Abuja in November and this roadshow is to tell Nigerians that this is more than just a WPRF.

“This is us putting our best foot forward as Nigeria to show that Nigeria is very competent in hosting global events,” she said.

Ms Etuk said that public relations is about the people, about everybody being represented in decision-making and implementation processes.

“That is what this roadshow is about; our chapters across the country are hitting the streets to tell Nigerians that they can be part of the forum,” she said.

The roadshow started from Zoological Garden in Area 1 and terminated at the Radio House, where the Public Relations House is undergoing construction. 

(NAN)