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By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is collaborating with the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) to showcase tourism potential of the country during the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF).
The President and Chairman of Council of NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, gave the assurance when the Director-General of NTDA, Dr Ola Awakan and his team paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.
Neliaku further described tourism as a soft power of influence.
He explained that the Forum would serve as a great platform for Nigeria to showcase its rich tourism potentials, stressing that it will also bring together professionals from over 126 countries into Abuja, Nigeria.
He added that the collaboration would give NIPR the opportunity to give delegates to the Forum a unique Nigeria’s hospitality experience.
He urged the new NTDA leadership to harness several tourist attractions in the country, with suitable narratives that offer more value to tourists.
“The NIPR has come a long way: we established the Nigeria Reputation Management Group, to ensure that our reputation gate is no longer porous again. We had the Reputation Summit and the Nigeria Perception Index Survey.
“We organised and hosted the NIPR Week earlier this year and also established the University of Public Relations and Leadership in Gudi, Nasarawa State to train future generations of credible leaders.
“We are also building a Public Relations Place and planning to establish a Public Relations Museum here in Nigeria.”
According to him, we are hosting the 2026 WPRF in Abuja in November. It is by Global Alliance, and like I said, participants from over 126 countries will be here for the Forum.
“My colleagues in Council and members of the institute are delighted to work with NTDA, and we will give our maximum support”, he said.
Speaking earlier, Awakan said the collaboration is one that is pivotal to the development of the country, adding that President Bola Tinubu is keen on diversification.
He explained that during the recent Tourism Expo in Kampala, other African countries were looking up to Nigeria to take the lead.
“We need to walk the talk to enhance the drive for diversification through tourism.
“President Tinubu noticed this, that is why, when he came on board, he established the Ministry of Tourism and later merged it with Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.”
Awakan said they also need to market Nigeria via NIPR to change the perceived negative narrative about the country as Nigeria has a lot of positive things to offer the world.
“For the 2026 WPRF, we have a National Travel Bureau in our organisation that can create tours anywhere the visitors want to go. We also have initiatives like the Naija Flavour Initiative to showcase our identity in various spheres.
“We are planning a Tourism Expo and also discussing with Nigeria Movie Award. NTDA and NIPR can work together during and after the Forum,” Awakan said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Neliaku decorated Awakan with the regalia of NIPR ambassador and Awakan also reciprocated. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
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