Nigeria Pulls Out All the Stops: Global PR Leaders, 10,000 Jollof Plates Await World at Abuja Forum

Nigeria is preparing to roll out its culture, cuisine and hospitality to the world as Abuja hosts the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) in November, bringing together global communication leaders, policymakers, diplomats, academics and professionals for a week-long engagement.

One of the major attractions of the international gathering will be the maiden Nigeria Jollof Rice Festival, where organisers say about 10,000 people will be fed as part of the corporate social responsibility programme of the forum.

The event, themed “Responsible Communication – The Voice of the World,” is expected to combine high-level discussions on the future of communication with Nigerian culture, fashion, entertainment and cuisine.

President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, fnipr, disclosed the plans during a briefing with members of the Diplomatic Corps in Abuja.

Neliaku said the forum would provide a rare opportunity for public relations professionals to engage directly with policymakers, business leaders, institutions and others who use communication services.

He said the engagement would contribute to the development of an Abuja Declaration on Responsible Communication, which is expected to provide a framework for the global communication profession for the next decade.

“We want to listen to them, those of them who are using our solutions,” Neliaku said, explaining that such engagement would help professionals identify emerging challenges and shape the global communication agenda.

Abuja becomes global communication hub

The NIPR president said the forum would attract thought leaders, policymakers and professional icons from different parts of the world.

Expected participants cut across business, governance, politics, commerce, academia, technology, military and security, faith, culture, civil society, youth, royal institutions, diplomatic missions and international organisations.

Professionals in public relations, advertising, marketing, entertainment, arts, culture and cuisine are also expected to participate.

The programme will feature high-level dialogues, workshops, masterclasses, networking sessions and expert-led learning.

Nigeria will also host the 37th African Public Relations Association Conference, while the African Ministers of Information Roundtable is expected to bring together information ministers from across the continent.

10,000 people to be served Nigerian Jollof

In what promises to be one of the most colourful highlights of the forum, organisers will stage the maiden Nigeria Jollof Rice Festival.

The festival is expected to serve food to 10,000 people, showcasing one of Nigeria’s most famous culinary exports to international visitors while supporting the forum’s corporate social responsibility objectives.

The organisers are also preparing a seven-hour tailoring pavilion, where international delegates can have African attire made for them within seven hours.

An experience zone, exhibitions, entertainment and other cultural activities will further expose foreign visitors to Nigeria’s creative and cultural industries.

From Mexico 1978 to Abuja Declaration

Beyond the cultural attractions, Neliaku said the forum has a serious professional objective: to redefine the role of public relations in a rapidly changing world.

He said the last major industry-wide framework was developed through the Mexico 1978 statement, which established a common definition of public relations and outlined key responsibilities of the profession.

But with the emergence of digital communication, social media, artificial intelligence, misinformation and other technological developments, Neliaku said the profession needed a new global framework.

The Abuja Declaration is therefore expected to address the relevance of communication to governance, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, development and the management of emerging societal issues.

“It is here that we are now going to set agenda for the next decades of the relevance of our profession to governance, to peace building, to conflict resolution, to managing issues,” he said.

He described the forum as a “once-in-a-lifetime engagement” and urged stakeholders to be part of the historic process.

Zambia’s President to headline global gathering

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to serve as the chief host, while Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, is expected to deliver the presidential keynote address.

Other high-profile speakers are expected from the United Nations, World Bank, UNESCO, Interpol, World Press Agency and World Customs Organization.

The forum will also feature the World Public Relations Awards and the unveiling of a Global Alliance special publication on responsible communication.

Youth given prominent role

The organisers have also placed young people at the heart of the programme.

The Global Youth Public Relations Summit, scheduled for Friday, November 20, will provide a platform for young communication professionals and emerging leaders to engage with global experts.

Neliaku said the NIPR, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and APRA were committed to deliberately developing a credible successor generation.

He called on diplomatic missions to encourage young nationals to participate in the summit.

Diplomatic Corps welcomes forum

Speaking on behalf of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the High Commissioner of Cameroon, Ambassador of the Philippines to Nigeria, H.E. Mersole J. Mellejor, welcomed the initiative and commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NIPR for engaging diplomatic missions.

He said the forum was particularly relevant at a time when the world was confronting misinformation, fake news, technological disruption and growing uncertainties.

According to him, the gathering would allow global communication leaders, academics and policymakers to examine how communication can promote social cohesion, inclusion, good governance and sustainable development.

Mellejor also described Nigeria as a major economic, business, innovation and cultural hub and encouraged international delegates to take advantage of the opportunity to experience the country.

Transcorp Hilton to host main activities

The Transcorp Hilton Abuja Event Centre will serve as the principal venue for the forum.

Neliaku said the location was chosen because it offers accommodation, conferencing, dining, entertainment and exhibition facilities in one place.

He added that 19 other hotels across different categories had been arranged to accommodate delegates with different budgets.

The organisers also said security arrangements were being made with relevant security agencies to ensure a safe and successful event.

Neliaku urged diplomatic missions, businesses, international organisations and individuals to participate as delegates, partners, sponsors and exhibitors.

He said the success of the forum would depend on collective participation, recalling the saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.”

For Nigeria, the message to the world ahead of the November gathering is clear: No Wahala Abuja is ready to welcome the world with global conversations, Nigerian culture and plenty of Jollof.