As public relations practitioners prepare for the forthcoming Golden World Awards (GWA) in Athens, Greece, Nigerian media entrepreneur Gidado Shuaib has been appointed a United Nations Youth Representative by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s leading global body for PR professionals.

The appointment was formally conveyed by IPRA Secretary‑General Philip Sheppard, who confirmed that Shuaib will work with the association’s UN Bureau in New York, represented by Jim McQueeny and Matt Cossel, to strengthen IPRA’s engagement with the United Nations on youth‑focused initiatives and global development conversations.

The development comes as Nigerian PR agencies—including Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) and LSF PR—secure shortlist positions across multiple categories of the 2026 GWA, while the Comptroller‑General of the Nigeria Customs Service, CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi is scheduled to receive a special honour at the Athens ceremony on September 25, 2026.

Shuaib currently serves as Special Assistant to the Director‑General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), where he supports strategic communications, media management, stakeholder engagement and public affairs. He also works as Digital Communications Specialist at Baze University and consults for organisations such as the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Nigeria’s chapter of Transparency International.

A rising figure in Nigeria’s media landscape, Shuaib is the Publisher and CEO of Youths Digest, producers of News Digest Nigeria, and the founder of the Campus Journalism Awards, now in its eighth edition. The initiative has grown into one of Nigeria’s most influential platforms for mentoring and celebrating emerging journalists while promoting ethical reporting and responsible public discourse.

His professional experience spans major newsrooms including the BBC, Premium Times, and Daily Trust, alongside contributions to national debates through opinion writing, media commentary and interviews on governance, youth development and strategic communication.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).

Beyond journalism, Shuaib convenes the Campus Journalism Dialogues, edits Musings of Young Minds, and champions civic participation among young Nigerians. In 2015, he represented Nigeria at the Youth Assembly of the United Nations, joining global youth leaders to deliberate on sustainable development and international policy.

Holding the chieftaincy title of Shettiman Dukawuya, Shuaib holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Baze University, Abuja, and a Master’s degree in Media, Campaigning and Social Change from the University of Westminster, London. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Development Communication at Nasarawa State University.

Founded in 1955, IPRA remains the world’s premier international association for public relations professionals, promoting global standards, ethical practice and professional engagement. Through its UN Bureau, the association amplifies the voice of PR practitioners within the United Nations system while advancing youth participation in global policy and sustainable development.

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The endorsements and commendations were announced over the weekend during the fellowship’s closing ceremony at the PRNigeria Centre in Abuja.

In his welcome address, Alhaji Yushau Shuaib, CEO of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), revealed that IPRA, in a correspondence by its Secretary General, Philip Sheppard, had granted the NSAwards Conference Status. This designation provides global recognition for the annual event, which celebrates organisations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in public communication through creativity and innovation.

Both the NSAwards and the PRNigeria Fellowship are organised annually by IMPR, publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential. The firm has established itself as a leading strategic communication agency, ranking as the Most Creative PR Agency Worldwide in 2020 and winning multiple SABRE Africa and IPRA Golden World Awards.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Malam Mohammed Idris Malagi, represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mallam Ali M. Ali, praised IMPR’s commitment to strategic communication and developing the next generation of communication professionals through the fellowship programme.

“We are not surprised that IMPR is one of the most outstanding strategic communication outfits that adhere to the ethics of the profession through its platforms, initiatives, including the annual fellowship for young Nigerians.

“In fact, this capacity-building initiative offers not only an opportunity to mentor, train, and empower young graduates, but also provides a rich reservoir of future talents who will nourish our industry,” Ali said.

The Minister’s representative cautioned fellows to remain discerning in an environment “rife with fake news,” particularly given the prevalence of AI-generated content.

NUJ President Comrade Alhassan Adamu Yahya pledged the Union’s support for IMPR’s initiatives, including the fellowship and the National Spokespersons Awards. He urged fellows to prioritise national security and ethical standards in their work.

Ja’afar Ja’afar, CEO of Daily Nigerian, warned the young graduates about the emerging threat of deepfakes and AI manipulation. He emphasised that professional contacts “make the journalist and journalism,” and advised investigative journalists to use the Freedom of Information Act responsibly, focusing on accountability rather than humiliation.

The fellowship is hosted annually at PRNigeria Centres in Abuja, Kano, and Ilorin. At the Abuja ceremony, Humaid Rabiu Shehu and Oyeyemi Abolade were recognised as Team Leader and Best Fellow, respectively, of the 2025 Abuja cohort.

The IMPR is also the host of annual Security and Emergency Management Awards (SAEMA), Arewa Stars Awards (ASA), Spokespersons Communication Awards (SCA) and the Economic Confidential Lecture.

By PRNIgeria

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The award was presented at IPRA’s glittering 70th anniversary gala, held in Accra, Ghana. This historic event also saw the inauguration of Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah as IPRA’s President-elect, marking the first time an African woman has assumed the role. She will be taking over from Natasa Pavlovic Bujas from Belgrade.

This latest accolade follows the duo’s 2024 GWA win in Belgrade, Serbia, where their campaign, 100 Days of Impactful PR at Customs Service, triumphed in the Crisis Management category. The back-to-back recognition positions Nigeria Customs as a global benchmark for reform-driven government communication.

IMPR, led by CEO Yushau Shuaib, has now secured IPRA awards for nine consecutive years since 2016, collaborating with various Nigerian institutions to elevate the country’s international PR standing. Recognised as the most awarded communication firm in West Africa, IMPR was named the Most Creative PR Agency Worldwide in 2020 by the Global Creativity Index (GCI), published by PRovoke Media, organisers of the SABRE Awards.

This year’s GWA featured entries from at least 35 countries, with winners including Pan American Energy (Argentina), UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Dr. Alice Edwards (Canada), Navos (Germany), Stratcomm Africa (Ghana), Coca-Cola Hellas (Greece), McDonald’s (Hungary), Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance, BPRESS (Italy), Dentsu (Japan), Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), Olam Agri (Singapore), Burson Africa and Warner Bros (South Africa), Kia Corporation (South Korea), The Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Dubai Police (UAE), Aramco (UK), and Adobe (USA).

The NCS–IMPR collaboration was honoured in the Publication category for their 162-page handbook titled Impactful Public Relations in Customs Management. Co-authored by PRNigeria journalists Kabir Abdulsalam and Maryam Na’Allah, the book highlights innovative PR strategies implemented under the leadership of Comptroller-General Wale Adeniyi.

Structured into 12 chapters, the handbook serves as a comprehensive guide to effective public relations, featuring practical case studies and engagement tools. It illustrates how strategic communication can enhance an institution’s reputation through transparency, boost revenue through stakeholder engagement, and reinforce national security through effective crisis communication.

Endorsed by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), the publication also received commendation from Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima.

Receiving the award on behalf of NCS, spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada remarked, “This honour reaffirms the power of communication in building institutional credibility. Under CG Adeniyi, our service has embraced transparency, innovation, and accountability.”

Dr. Sule Yau Sule, Chairman of IMPR’s Board of Directors, described the award as a testament to the strength of public-private collaboration in strategic communication: “This recognition proves that Nigerian agencies can compete globally, using PR not just for publicity, but as a tool for reform and public trust.”

The 2025 edition of the Golden World Awards is particularly historic — marking the first time in IPRA’s 70-year history that the gala was hosted on African soil. It also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) in Ghana.

Established in 1990, the Golden World Awards are widely regarded as the “Oscars of Public Relations,” celebrating campaigns that exemplify excellence, ethics, and impact.

With this latest win, Nigeria Customs joins an elite circle of global institutions leveraging strategic communication to drive reform, further cementing Nigeria’s leadership in innovative public relations across the continent.

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On June 13, 2024, an email from Janice Hills of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) announced a Campaign, “100 Days of Impactful PR at Customs Service,” as a Finalist for the 2024 Golden World Award (GWA) in public Relations.

As a finalist, the campaign will now proceed to the second round, where more materials, including documents, relevant web links, images, and videos, will be submitted to enable the jury from various countries to decide on the winning entries.

The campaign, a testament to the strategic leadership of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, was previously honoured with a Certificate of Excellence at the 2024 SABRE African PR, a prestigious recognition at the annual conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA) in Cote d’Ivoire.

The campaign recognised the strategic deployment of public relations (PR) tactics by Adeniyi, in 100 days of acting as Comptroller General, to raise awareness about the New Customs Act and the Reform Agenda within the sector – a testament to his visionary leadership and innovative approach.

Upon assuming the role of acting Comptroller General on June 19, 2023, Adeniyi was presented with a unique opportunity. The immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari had on May 23, 2023, precisely a week before his handover to President Tinubu, assented to the Nigeria Customs Act, amending it for the first time in over 64 years. This presented a key opening for Adeniyi to use the campaign to raise awareness about the transformative import, value, expenditure, and accountability changes promised by the new Act and the stricter penalties and sanctions for Excise duty violations.

The Act specifies that appointment of the Comptroller General of the service would no longer be open to non-career individuals, as it empowers the President to appoint a CGC from career-serving officers, provided they hold a rank not lower than that of an Assistant Comptroller General (ACG).

As a distinguished Fellow and former Vice President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Adeniyi played a pivotal role in fostering stakeholder collaboration. His efforts were instrumental in aligning the NCS’s core responsibilities with President Tinubu’s priorities in trade facilitation, revenue collection, societal protection, and cooperation. This demonstrates the NCS’s unwavering commitment to national goals.

In just three months of his acting capacity, Adeniyi had intensified awareness campaigns through capacity-building programmes, stakeholder engagements, and media interactions. One of the other major challenges he faced on assumption of office was managing the trade embargo between ECOWAS states and Niger Republic due to a coup. Despite the public outcry over border closures affecting businesspeople and border communities, Adeniyi’s crisis communication strategies involved consultations with community leaders, youth groups, and business stakeholders towards providing relief, alternatives and legitimate options.

His leadership and managerial skills through strategic communication enhanced stakeholder collaboration ensured border security, influenced the citizenry’s compliance with customs reforms, significantly boosted revenue generation and instilled a sense of optimism and hope for the future. It also considerably contributed to the productivity of his management team. Impressed by the unparalleled feat and strategy deployed, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the confirmation of Adeniyi’s appointment as substantive Comptroller General from October 19, 2024.

Interestingly, Kabir Abdulsalam of PRNigeria and Maryam Na’Allah of Spokespersons Digest, both staff writers at Image Merchants Promotion Limited, studied and documented Adeniyi’s public relations strategies in their forthcoming book titled “Impactful PR in Customs Management.”

With a blurb by Vice President Kashim Shettima and a foreword written by the President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, the book highlights well-coordinated PR approaches in leadership and management.

Key aspects covered in the literature include how press coverage and media engagement created required awareness and sensitisation of customs reforms. Similarly, the effect of regular engagement with stakeholders in facilitating interagency collaboration and earning public support is also highlighted. Organised special events through lively interactions and fruitful deliberations have been valuable in promoting the new legislation and other service efforts.

The book emphasises other strategies for engagement and communication during crises and recognises the effectiveness of third-party narratives. It further focuses on primary PR tools in its twelve chapters, such as media relations, event management, crisis communication, stakeholder engagement, press release writing, social media, lobbying decision-makers, corporate social responsibility (CSR), reputation management, in-house publications, employee relations, and media monitoring.

In less than a year in office, through his trade facilitation measures, including 24-hour port decongestion/clearance and removal of multiple checkpoints with dedicated import and export terminals, the Customs Service under Adeniyi has achieved an unprecedented revenue collection of 75%, compared to the previous year.

A humble and detribalised Nigerian, Adeniyi has demonstrated inspirational leadership that motivates staff across all levels and backgrounds to strive for excellence and make sacrifices in the nation’s service. His selfless approach has created a culture of unity and dedication, inspiring others to work towards a common goal of serving the national interest.

His anti-smuggling campaign efforts, through strengthening collaborations, have also led to massive seizures of wildlife products, deadly weapons, and hard drugs, among other contrabands that are injurious to the economy and life of the people.

Adeniyi’s groundbreaking communication approach and proactive strategies have significantly influenced public perception and showcased the tangible benefits of effective PR strategies for excellence. His visionary leadership has transformed the Customs Service, restored trust and elevated its reputation. His exemplary model of effective PR at the management level has the potential to inspire future leaders to harness the power of strategic communication, leaving a lasting legacy in the industry.

The accomplishments of the customs service under Tinubu’s administration are quite obvious, as the book will be unveiled at the forthcoming annual Economic Confidential Summit in Abuja next month.

Yushau A. Shuaib
Author of “Award Winning Crisis Communication Strategies”
www.YASHuaib.com, yashuaib@yashuaib.com

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TECHDIGEST – The Nigeria Airforce (NAF) and Meta have emerged winners of the ‘2023 Golden World Awards’ (GWA), instituted by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) for outstanding PR campaigns.

Two PR agencies from Nigeria, the Image Merchants Promotion (IMPR) Limited (IMPR) and AT3 Resources have also been recognized by IPRA for championing the campaigns of NAF and Meta, the owner of Facebook.

The Nigeria Air Force bagged the award under ‘Crisis Management Category’ in partnership with IMPR for providing enablement for independent media reports and third-party news narratives on counter-insurgency operations.

The reports and alternative narratives on the success of counterterrorism, widely used in the media, boosted citizens’ confidence and the morale of the troops.

AT3 Resources, the strategic communications partner of Meta in West Africa, won the award under the ‘Technology Category’, with the multi-pronged communication campaign, “#NoFalseNewsZone” in Nigeria and Ghana respectively.

The campaign was aimed at helping people think critically about the messages they see online before forwarding them to others. It was an innovative, interesting, and engaging campaign to help people understand the consequences of false news and contribute to curbing its spread.

READ ALSO: MSMEs Will Contribute $53b To Nigeria’s Economy If Digitised — NITDA Boss

Image Merchants Promotions Limited,
the publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential has, over the years, bagged African SABRE Awards organized by PRovoke Media, in partnership with African Public Relations Association (APRA) as well as IPRA’s GWA. In 2020 it was declared as the Most Creative PR Agency, globally.

Similarly, AT3, over the span of five years, has embarked on numerous impactful brand and corporate campaigns and has collaborated with many industry stakeholders to achieve great results.

In 2022, the agency collaborated with Brand Africa to celebrate African brands in Nigeria. It won the prestigious Sabre Certificate of Excellence in 2022, the Marketing Edge Award for the Outstanding Young PR Agency of the Year in the same year, and the BrandCom Award for ‘Young Public Relations Agency of the Year’ in 2021.

Speaking on the award, the Managing Director of IMPR, Mr. Yushau Shuaib expressed delight that PR firms in Nigeria are now recognized in the global scene beyond the regional recognition.

“I am delighted that more Nigerian PR firms have grown beyond being local champions in regional PR Power List, by competing outside their cocoon with the very best in the PR world for deserving global recognitions.

“We should continue to strive in ensuring that PR campaigns demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism, creativity, integrity, impact and effectiveness.”

Meanwhile, IPRA’s Secretary General, Philip Sheppard announced a total of 70 winners for 2023 with a number of entries tackling emerging issues such as cryptocurrency, influencer management and virtual reality.

According to him, the GWA jury of experts met in person for the first time since the pandemic at an inspiring session in London’s Institute of Directors in assessing the entries. The jury comprised judges from Austria, Bulgaria, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines, the USA and the United Kingdom.

“This year we had entries covering multiple subjects and there was a notable demonstration of creativity from all around the world,” explains Philip Sheppard.

“We learnt of stories such as prejudice in Peru, solitary bees in Croatia and tackling fake news in Ukraine.”

The prestigious Grand Prix was also chosen but the judges have been sworn to secrecy. Along with the Global Contribution Award for PR with an objective of meeting one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Grand Prix will be announced at the GWA Gala on 20 October in Barcelona.

IPRA, the International Public Relations Association, was established in 1955, and is the leading global network for PR professionals in their personal capacity. IPRA aims to advance trusted communication and the ethical practice of public relations. IPRA is the organiser of public relations’ annual global competition, the Golden World Awards for Excellence (GWA). IPRA’s services enable PR professionals.

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TECHDIGEST – The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) with Headquarters in London, United Kingdom has shortlisted PRNigeria, Nigerian Airforce (NAF), and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) among the finalists for the Golden World Awards (GWA) 2023.

The Golden World Awards are the world’s most prestigious PR awards.

PRNigeria was shortlisted for its campaign on gender inclusivity titled “Nigerian Ladies in PR” where female interns and staff are trained and tasked with advocacies that promote inter-ethnic relations, national unity, good governance, and gender equality. The campaigns were executed through public speaking, press releases, article writing, social media engagement, and book publishing.

The NAF was shortlisted for providing enablement for independent media reports and third-party news narratives on the counter-insurgency campaigns. The independent news report and alternative narratives from credible media sources on the success on the counterterrorism were widely used in the media and boost the confidence of the citizens and the morale of the fighting troops.

READ ALSO:NITDA Partners GAGE Company for Co-Create Africa Tech Expo

The NITDA campaign was shortlisted under Public Affairs/Government Relations Category for deploying mainstream and social media, as tech regulatory agency in countering misconceptions by educating the public on the benefits of its Code of Practice for Social Media and Online Platforms.

The PR campaigns of the three finalists were undertaken in partnership with a multi-award-winning PR agency, Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), the Publishers of PRNigeria, and Economic Confidential.

IPRA is the leading global network for Public Relations professionals. It aims to further the development of open communication and the ethical practice of public relations. It fulfils this aim through networking opportunities, its code of conduct and intellectual leadership of the profession. With 60 years of experience, IPRA, recognised by the United Nations, is now present throughout the world wherever public relations are practiced.

The annual IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA) initiative, established in 1990, recognizes excellence in public relations practice worldwide in a variety of categories. The awards meet international standards of excellence in public relations. An overall IPRA Grand Prix for Excellence is presented each year to the entry judged as representing the highest standards that year.

The Golden World Awards will be presented at a Gala event in Barcelona Spain in October 20, 2023.

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TECHDIGEST – President of the African Public Relations Association, APRA, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, said that Africa is blessed with enormous potential to attain economic growth and development, being the world’s fastest-growing continent.

He however, stressed that Public Relations professionals in the continent must harness “this potential and use it to promote Africa’s growth and development on the world stage”.

Badejo-Okusanya, disclosed this in a remark at the 34th APRA Annual Conference, holding in Lusaka, capital of Zambia.

“Creative Africa: Exploring the PR Potential of Africa as an Emerging Economic and Reputation Powerhouse,” is the theme of the conference, PRNigeria reports.

“In today’s rapidly changing world, public relations has never been more important. We are living in a time of unprecedented challenges: climate change, economic uncertainty, and social and political upheaval.

“In this context, effective public relations has a vital role to play in helping individuals, organizations, and governments to communicate effectively, build trust, and navigate complex issues,” he said.

According to the APRA President, the creative industry is one of Africa’s fastest-growing sectors, and it makes a significant contribution to the continent’s economy. He added that the African creative industry is vast and diverse, encompassing music, film, television, fashion, art, and other disciplines.

The APRA President said a report by UNCTAD reported that Africa’s creative industry generated $49 billion in revenue in 2018, with an annual growth rate of 14.2%”.

According to him, the creative industry employs millions of Africans, with an estimated 2.4 million people working in the industry in South Africa alone.

Badejo said: “One of the most significant contributors to the African creative industry is the music industry. According to a PwC report, the African music industry was worth $68 million in 2018 and $83 million in 2022. This expansion can be attributed to the growing global popularity of African music, as well as the rise of digital streaming platforms, which have made it easier for artists to distribute their music and reach a wider audience. As the industry expands, more job opportunities and economic growth for the continent are expected.

“The Nigerian film industry, commonly referred to as Nollywood, is the second-largest film industry in the world in terms of output, behind only Bollywood in India. The industry is estimated to be worth over $3 billion. In 2018, the African television market was valued at $11 billion, with Nigeria accounting for more than half of the market share. Nollywood produces over 2,500 films annually and employs more than a million people, directly or indirectly. The industry has also contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economy and cultural identity.

“The African fashion industry is also rapidly expanding, with a market value of $31 billion expected by the middle of 2023. A growing interest in African fashion on the global stage has boosted the industry, with designers from the continent showcasing their work at major fashion events around the world.”

Badejo-Okusanya, explained that the theme of this year’s APRA conference, “Creative Africa,” reflects their belief in the power of creativity and innovation to drive progress and change.

“Through our work as public relations professionals, we have a unique opportunity to showcase the many strengths of Africa, from its dynamic business environment to its rich cultural heritage.

“This, I believe, can be achieved by highlighting Africa’s strengths, collaborating with stakeholders, developing partnerships, leveraging digital media, and organizing events that showcase Africa’s potential,” he said.

The APRA President commended the Zambian Minister of Information and Media, Cushi Kasanda for supporting the hosting and for declaring the Conference open.

Other speakers at the Opening Ceremony included President International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Anne-Gret Hurriaga Abarzua; President Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication, Justin Green; President Zambia Institute Institute of Public Relations and Communication (ZIPRC).

APRA is the leading professional body for public relations practitioners across the African continent. Its mission is to advance the profession of public relations in Africa by promoting excellence, developing skills, and providing a platform for networking and collaboration.

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TECHDIGEST – Another Nigerian Public Relations agency, LSF PR, has emerged a recipient of the Golden World Awards of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) 2022.

With this feat, the firm has now joined Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), the only PR firm from Nigeria that has consistently won the GWA IPRA since 2016.

Founded by Bidemi Zakariyau Akande who is its Chief Executive Officer, LSFPR is a full-service public relations firm with core competencies in corporate communications and consumer brands, representing local and global brands across the entire African continent and UAE.

READ ALSO: IMPR Calls for Entries for 2022 Security and Spokespersons Awards

LSFPR is a multiple award recipient at SABRE African awards held during annual conferences of the African Public Relations Association (APRA).

During the 2021 SABRE award which recognises Superior Achievement in Brand-Building, LSFPR won the best campaign in Mining and Extractive Industries category and bagged Best PR firm in West Africa. In 2022, LSFPR also bagged Certificates of Excellence in Media Relations , Corporate Image and Crisis/Issue Management categories. It was also shortlisted as a finalist in the Energy and Natural Resources category alongside agency counterparts across Europe, Middle East and Africa (SABRE EMEA).

Before this latest development, IMPR, the publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokespersons’ Digest had remained the only PR agency from Nigeria to have won the GWA of IPRA in more than a decade.

From 2016 to date, IMPR has remained one of the most formidable indigenous African PR firms, winning Public Relations awards at continental and global levels.

Apart from being shortlisted as one of the five finalists for the African Public Relations Agency of the Year, IMPR was ranked number one and identified as the most creative PR agency worldwide in the 2020 Global Creativity Index (GCI).

The foremost statistics portal, Statista identified “Image Merchants based in Nigeria as the most creative PR agency worldwide when the results were weighted by staff size, scoring 1,400 points in the ranking. Second was Kurio from Finland with 933 points. Edelman was the largest PR agency worldwide in 2019, when ranked by fee income.”

The yearly GCI, produced by PRovoke, formerly Holmes Report, ranks the most awarded PR campaigns and firms in the world, weighing their impacts while taking cognisance of their staff size.

Meanwhile, the IPRA Secretariat regretted that it would not hold the Award ceremony billed for Japan in October due to what it described as “ongoing problems around the world.”

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TECHDIGEST – The Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, has bagged the Golden World Award (GWA) of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) in the Crisis Management Category.

The IPRA honours the frontline multi-award-winning integrated communication agency for its publication “101 Fake News on EndSARS” authored by a staff member and 2021 Best Fact-Checker in West Africa, Dahiru Lawal.

The book was published in a collaboration with the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), the Secretariat of the Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA)

The book, which exposes a series of Fake News, especially on social media during and after the 2020 EndSARS protests in Nigeria, had previously won African SABRE Award 2022 hosted by PRovoke Media and endorsed by the African Public Relations Association (APRA) at Dar Es Salam, Tanzania.

In a congratulatory message addressed to Chief Executive Officer of IMPR, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, the IPRA Secretariat wrote: “I am pleased to announce that you are an IPRA GWA 2022 winner! Congratulations.

“You win with Unveiling 101 Fake News on EndSARS in the Crisis management – Agency category.”

Meanwhile, the IPRA Secretariat regretted that it would not hold the Award ceremony billed for Japan in October due to what it described as “ongoing problems around the world.”

From 2016 to date, IMPR has remained one of the most formidable indigenous African PR firms, winning Public Relations awards at continental and global levels.

Apart from being shortlisted as one of the five finalists for the African Public Relations Agency of the Year, it was ranked number one and identified as the most creative PR agency worldwide in the 2020 Global Creativity Index (GCI).

The yearly GCI, produced by PRovoke, formerly Holmes Report, ranks the most awarded PR campaigns and firms in the world, weighing their impacts while taking cognisance of their staff size.

Speaking on the latest award, Shuaib commended the efforts of young and vibrant staff members in the firm for providing news and feature ideas for strategic communication.

“At IMPR, apart from our experienced editors and consummate communicators, we have young and vibrant, fresh graduates who are providing creative and workable ideas for our diverse clients.

“The results of their pitches can be glimpsed from our fact-checks, investigative reporting, crisis communication, event management and public relations.”

Also speaking on the award, the Executive Secretary CCC, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), commended IMPR for making Nigeria proud on the global scene on crisis communication strategies.

“We are indeed proud of our partnership with the IMPR family, especially PRNigeria on its roles in crisis management in the country. Apart from CCC jointly winning a previous GWA award, other stakeholders include ONSA, DHQ, Nigerian Airforce, Nigeria Customs, Nigeria Prison Service, DSS, NCC, NDLEA, and NITDA among others have also bagged similar awards with IMPR in the past. We are indeed grateful for making Nigeria proud,” Yusuf Anas said.

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TECHDIGEST – The Fact-checking campaign by PRNigeria against fake news during and after EndSARS protests in Nigeria has bagged top African Public Relations (PR) Awards for Special Event and Sponsorship in 2022.

Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) the publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential which executed the campaign in collaboration with the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), also bagged two Certificates of Excellence for its campaigns for the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

The annual African PR awards which recognize Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation, and Engagement (SABRE) is organised by the Provoke Media (formerly Holmes Report) in collaboration with African Public Relations Association (APRA).

For winning the top PR Award on Special Event and Sponsorship, the IMPR campaign exposes how Fake News was widely used by proponents and opponents of the largest mass movement of youths protesting police harassment and brutality with hashtag #EndSARS in 2020. As an instrument of propaganda, the fake news escalated into violent attacks during the demonstration

A year after in 2021, Using traditional investigative journalism techniques and fact-checking tools, PRNigeria detected and exposed several fake news used during and after the EndSARS to mislead the public. It later published and unveiled a book “101 Fake News on EndSARS” authored by an award-winning fact-checker Dahiru Lawal on the danger of misinformation and disinformation. It further sustained the campaign by exposing several bit-by-bit fake news items that were engineered by groups, public figures, activists, media and undesirable elements to hoodwink the public.

The Editor-in-Chief of IMPR, Yushau A. Shuaib expressed delight over the latest awards. He said: “We are glad that our stakeholders and clients appreciate our brand of awareness campaigns that blend PR with journalism for impactful results through responsible reporting.”

Image Merchants, an indigenous Nigerian PR firm has consistently bagged APRA endorsed SABRE Awards as well as Golden World Awards of International Public Relations Association (APRA) for more than five years.

Ten Nigerian PR agencies featured among the 2022 African SABRE Award recipients. Apart from IMPR, they included BHM, Chain Reaction Nigeria, LSF/PR, Integrated Indigo, RED Media, So.Me Solution, Modion Communications, Blanche Aigle Communications and Chenist.

The Africa SABRE award ceremony will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on May 25th, as part of the 2022 African Public Relations Conference. The campaigns were evaluated by a jury of industry leaders.

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