The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos State Chapter, has introduced new award categories to reflect the evolution of the communication industry as it unveiled the 2026 Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala Awards, scheduled for 11 December 2026.
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, the Chairman of NIPR Lagos State Chapter, Dr Samuel Ayetutu, stated that the event’s theme, ‘Redefining Innovation and Influence,’ reflects the profound transformation reshaping the communication industry, where the lines between public relations, advertising, digital communication, content creation, technology and brand management are increasingly fluid.
He stressed that innovation in today’s practice is no longer about novelty alone, but about doing things “differently, intelligently and meaningfully” to solve problems, create value and deliver measurable impact.
He added that influence was no longer a function of media budgets or traditional media appearances, but was increasingly earned through credibility, relevance, authenticity, engagement and the ability to shape conversations.
“The digital revolution has fundamentally changed the practice of Public Relations. Today, a story can emerge on a social media platform and become a national conversation within minutes,” he said, noting that a single video, podcast, post or comment can now influence brand perceptions more than conventional campaigns.
The NIPR Lagos chairman highlighted how artificial intelligence, data analytics, social listening and automation are changing how practitioners research, create, distribute and measure communication.
While technology offers unprecedented reach, he warned it also brings new responsibilities in an era where AI can generate text, images and videos within seconds.
“The question is no longer simply, ‘Can we create content?’ The more important question is, ‘Can we create something original, authentic, insightful and consequential?’” Ayetutu said.
Quoting advertising pioneer Bill Bernbach—“The most powerful element in advertising is the truth”— Ayetutu argued that truth, authenticity and originality remain the most powerful currencies of influence in a world of information overload, misinformation and synthetic content.
He said there were exceptional practitioners delivering remarkable work across strategic communication, digital communication, content creation, reputation management, public affairs, crisis communication, corporate communication, community engagement and other emerging areas, and that LAPRIGA must recognise these contributions.
The Chairman of the LAPRIGA Selection Committee, Dr Dare Ogunyombo, disclosed that this year’s edition has 15 regular award categories and two honorary recognitions.
He noted that the new categories were designed to reflect emerging trends and recognise excellence across the public relations industry.
He said the committee had harmonised some of last year’s categories while introducing new ones to make the awards more focused, precise and competitive.
Ogunyombo, who said the committee was committed to fairness, integrity and objectivity, added that the awards would be guided by professional ethics and merit.
He said, “As a panel, we recognise the importance of LAPRIGA in celebrating outstanding achievements and raising the standard of public relations practice.
“We have committed ourselves to ensuring that we are fair, that integrity guides us and that we remain open in all that we do.”
He added that the committee was particularly concerned with ensuring that award recipients were qualified members of the NIPR.
Also, the former chairman of NIPR, Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Comfort Nwankwo, added, “And for this theme, redefining innovation and influence in a world full of noise. But here, the premier chapter, we are always at the top of our game and pulling it.
“I trust that all of those who have been saddled with all this responsibility will certainly give us a bigger, the best. Because as the years go by, we always see the innovations that we bring into LAPRIGA.”
