Nigeria’s Gidado Shuaib appointed IPRA-UN Youth Representative ahead of GWA

As public relations practitioners prepare for the forthcoming Golden World Awards (GWA) in Athens, Greece, Nigerian media entrepreneur Gidado Shuaib has been appointed a United Nations Youth Representative by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s leading global body for PR professionals.

The appointment was formally conveyed by IPRA Secretary‑General Philip Sheppard.

Sheppard confirmed that Shuaib will work with the association’s UN Bureau in New York, represented by Jim McQueeny and Matt Cossel, to strengthen IPRA’s engagement with the United Nations on youth‑focused initiatives and global development conversations.

The development comes as Nigerian PR agencies—including Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) and LSF PR—secure shortlist positions across multiple categories of the 2026 GWA, while the Comptroller‑General of the Nigeria Customs Service, CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi is scheduled to receive a special honour at the Athens ceremony on September 25, 2026.

Shuaib currently serves as Special Assistant to the Director‑General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), where he supports strategic communications, media management, stakeholder engagement and public affairs. He also works as Digital Communications Specialist at Baze University and consults for organisations such as the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Nigeria’s chapter of Transparency International.

A rising figure in Nigeria’s media landscape, Shuaib is the Publisher and CEO of Youths Digest, producers of News Digest Nigeria, and the founder of the Campus Journalism Awards, now in its eighth edition. The initiative has grown into one of Nigeria’s most influential platforms for mentoring and celebrating emerging journalists while promoting ethical reporting and responsible public discourse.

His professional experience spans major newsrooms including the BBC, Premium Times, and Daily Trust, alongside contributions to national debates through opinion writing, media commentary and interviews on governance, youth development and strategic communication. 

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).

Beyond journalism, Shuaib convenes the Campus Journalism Dialogues, edits Musings of Young Minds, and champions civic participation among young Nigerians. In 2015, he represented Nigeria at the Youth Assembly of the United Nations, joining global youth leaders to deliberate on sustainable development and international policy.

Holding the chieftaincy title of Shettiman Dukawuya, Shuaib holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Baze University, Abuja, and a Master’s degree in Media, Campaigning and Social Change from the University of Westminster, London. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Development Communication at Nasarawa State University.

Founded in 1955, IPRA remains the world’s premier international association for public relations professionals, promoting global standards, ethical practice and professional engagement. Through its UN Bureau, the association amplifies the voice of PR practitioners within the United Nations system while advancing youth participation in global policy and sustainable development.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖