By Stellamaris | Anambra State
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has become the first public relations institute in the world to win the Global Public Relations Association of the Year Award in two consecutive years.
The institute won the 2026 edition of the award after also taking the honour last year. The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Justin Green, announced the award in Abuja on Friday at the launch of the Youth Digital Campaign for the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF).
Green said NIPR beat competing professional associations from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and India. He called the win a great honour for Nigeria and said it reflects the calibre, experience and expertise of its practitioners.
The Global Alliance said this year’s edition drew 92 entries from countries around the world. An international panel of judges picked the winners through a rigorous evaluation process. NIPR President, Dr Ike Neliaku, said the win shows Nigeria can lead globally in different fields. He urged the country’s leaders to use its local potential to improve its international image.
Neliaku said the institute regulates the practice of public relations and guards the nation’s reputation. He added that it has deliberately set out to tell Nigeria’s story of excellence to the world. “No country on earth is close to matching” the institute’s initiatives, innovations and development projects, he said. He said the award comes at a significant time, as Nigeria will host the 2026 World Public Relations Forum from November 15 to 22. He described the forum as a national reputation project that will change how the world sees the country. In his view, hosting it will set an international standard that will take decades to surpass.
The forum is expected to bring together PR and communication professionals from around the world to discuss industry developments and strengthen global collaboration. Neliaku said it will give Nigeria another chance to show its capacity and professional expertise and to strengthen its place in the global PR community.
