By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria is set to host about 3,000 delegates from 126 countries at the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF), scheduled for November 15 to 21 in Abuja, in what organizers describe as a major global platform for advancing responsible communication, peace and development.
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) disclosed this during a high-level briefing with members of the diplomatic community in Abuja, where it sought the support and participation of foreign missions for the successful hosting of the international gathering.
The forum, themed “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World,” is being organized by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and hosted by the NIPR in partnership with the African Public Relations Association (APRA).
The core programme is scheduled to take place at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja from November 16 to 21, while November 15 has been designated for pre-event activities.
Representing the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry’s spokesperson, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the diplomatic community had an important role to play in the success of the event, given the central place of communication and relationship-building in international diplomacy.
Ebienfa said the Ministry attached great importance to platforms capable of deepening mutual understanding, fostering collaboration and demonstrating Nigeria’s capacity to host major international gatherings.
He said Nigeria’s hosting of the WPRF reflected the country’s expanding global profile and its emergence as a credible partner in the international community.
According to him, the briefing provided an opportunity for the NIPR to present its plans, objectives and expected outcomes to the diplomatic corps while seeking the support and participation of foreign governments and organizations.
President and Chairman of Council of the NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, described the WPRF as a national project, stressing that Nigeria’s successful bid for the hosting rights had transformed it from an initiative of the professional body into a national undertaking.
“This is a Nigerian project. It is far beyond the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations,”
Neliaku said, adding that the diplomatic community was a key stakeholder because diplomats were involved in building, managing and sustaining relationships between nations.
He said the forum would bring together global thought leaders, policymakers and professionals from business, governance, politics, academia, technology, military and security, faith, culture, civil society and other sectors.
Neliaku said the expected participation of 3,000 delegates from 126 countries would make the gathering one of the largest global convergences of public relations and strategic communication professionals.
He disclosed that representatives of major international organizations, including the United Nations, World Bank, UNESCO and Interpol, were expected to participate.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the Chief Host, while President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia is expected to deliver the presidential keynote address.
Forum to Produce Abuja Declaration
Neliaku said one of the major innovations of the 2026 forum would be a Global Solution-Policy Interface, which would bring communication professionals together with policymakers and major users of communication services.
He explained that the initiative was designed to move beyond discussions among practitioners and create a platform for policymakers and communication professionals to jointly examine global challenges and develop practical solutions.
The discussions, he said, would contribute to the Abuja Declaration on Responsible Communication, which is expected to help shape the global communication agenda over the next decade.
He said the forum would examine how communication could be better deployed to promote peace, development, good governance, trust, inclusion and sustainable relationships.
The Secretary-General of APRA, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, said the continental body had fully supported Nigeria’s hosting of the WPRF and the 37th APRA Conference.
Ibietan said APRA, which has operated for about five decades, had consistently promoted the role of communication in organizing society and advancing development across Africa.
He described the November gathering as both a professional and cultural ambassadorial event through which Nigeria would showcase its heritage, achievements and growing influence in public relations and communication management.
He disclosed that an African Declaration on Public Relations and the Professionalisation of Public Relations would be launched and signed during the event.
Ibietan said the declaration would be significant because Africa had not previously had such a document dedicated specifically to the professionalisation of public relations.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s historical contribution to the profession, noting that the NIPR was established in 1963 and became the first public relations institute globally to be chartered.
According to him, responsible communication would be examined through areas including self-regulation and media and information literacy, particularly against the backdrop of the explosion of digital platforms and the spread of misinformation.
He said the information environment had evolved from concerns about limited access to information to an era of information overload, making media literacy, ethical communication and individual responsibility increasingly important.
The WPRF will be held concurrently with the 37th African Public Relations Association Conference, creating a convergence of global and African communication professionals.
Neliaku said the three principal partners were the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, APRA and NIPR, representing the global, continental and national dimensions of the gathering
Chairman of the National Planning Committee’s Diplomatic Work Team, Dr. Sulaiman Haruna, said the programme had been designed as a week-long festival of communication, learning, networking and cultural engagement.
The programme will feature presentations, speeches, panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses, alongside exhibitions for countries and organizations.
Other activities include the African Ministers of Information Roundtable, Global Youth Public Relations Summit, World Public Relations Awards and the unveiling of a Global Alliance publication on responsible communication.
The organizers have also incorporated cultural activities to give international delegates an immersive Nigerian experience.
These include the WPRF Experience Zone, featuring Nigerian food, cultural displays and dances, as well as a seven-hour tailoring pavilion where international visitors can have African attire made for them.
The Nigeria Jollof Rice Festival is also expected to feed about 10,000 people as part of the forum’s corporate social responsibility initiative.
The organizers said the activities would help showcase Nigeria’s creative industries, culture and hospitality to the international community.
Security, Accommodation Arrangements
Neliaku said security remained a major priority, with a security team headed by a retired Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory and comprising representatives of various security agencies.
He disclosed that security sweeps had already been conducted at the venue and Abuja airport, with additional measures planned throughout the event.
Accommodation and transportation arrangements have also been made for international delegates, with hotels across different categories available to participants.
Registration is open to public relations professionals, young practitioners, students, global leaders and other relevant participants.
The organizers urged diplomatic missions to mobilize government spokespersons, communication experts, public relations practitioners and other global leaders from their respective countries.
They also called on embassies to indicate interest in exhibition spaces, attend the opening ceremony and sponsor delegates, particularly students and persons with disabilities.
The organizers said visa and accommodation information had been made available through the official WPRF platform.
The forum is expected to position responsible communication as a tool for peace, development, trust, social cohesion and global understanding, while providing Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase its diplomatic, cultural and professional capabilities to the world.
