Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, have accepted key roles for the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) scheduled to hold in Abuja this November.
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management confirmed Tinubu as Chief Host and Hichilema as Keynote Speaker in a statement released on Tuesday in Portugal.
President of the Global Alliance, Prof. Justin Green, described the endorsement by the two African leaders as a strong signal of the continent’s readiness to host what he called “the biggest, brightest and boldest” global public relations gathering.
He also announced that the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming, and INTERPOL’s Director of Communications, Samuel Heath, will participate as speakers at the week-long event.
According to Prof. Green, the forum—scheduled for November 15 to 21—will focus on the theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.” He noted that the theme aligns with ongoing advocacy for the recognition of responsible communication as the 18th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
Green assured that the Global Alliance would provide the necessary support to ensure Nigeria successfully hosts the event, which is expected to attract participants from over 126 countries.
Reacting, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, said the institute is collaborating with the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and other continental bodies to deliver a world-class forum.
“We are working with partners across Africa to ensure the continent presents something unique and outstanding to the global community,” he said.
The World Public Relations Forum is a premier international gathering of communication professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders focused on advancing best practices in public relations worldwide.
