Lagos NIPR raises bar for 2026 PR awards with AI, impact-

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has unveiled the 2026 Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala and Awards (LaPRIGA), introducing expanded categories focused on innovation, artificial intelligence, originality and measurable impact across Nigeria’s fast-evolving communication industry.

The awards, scheduled for Friday, December 11, 2026, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, are themed “Redefining Innovation and Influence.”

Chairman of Lagos NIPR, Dr Samuel Ayetutu, fnipr, frpa, said the theme reflects the growing convergence of public relations, advertising, digital communication, content creation, technology and brand management.

Speaking at a media briefing to unveil the event, Ayetutu said communication professionals were now required to create value in an environment where technology was rapidly changing how audiences were reached, engaged and influenced.

He said innovation should no longer be measured simply by novelty, but by the ability to solve problems, create value and deliver measurable outcomes.

“Technology has given practitioners unprecedented opportunities to reach and engage audiences, but it has also created new responsibilities,” he said.

According to him, the growing use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, social listening and automation is changing how professionals research, create, distribute and evaluate communication campaigns.

He noted that the rapid ability of AI tools to generate content had made originality, authenticity, insight and human judgment increasingly important to professional communication.

“The question is no longer simply, ‘Can we create content?’ The more important question is, ‘Can we create something original, authentic, insightful and consequential?’” he said.

The 2026 LaPRIGA will feature new and expanded categories covering areas such as PR Agency of the Year, Public Service PR Campaign of the Year, Brand PR Campaign of the Year, PR Excellence in Issues and Crisis Management, Best Innovative Technology Deployment in PR, Most Influential PR Professional of the Year, Community Relations Excellence and Sustainability PR and Communication.

Other categories include Best Workplace Development PR Initiative, PR Educator (Tertiary) of the Year and PR Trainer (Professional Development) of the Year.

The awards will also feature honorary recognitions, including Lagos PR Personality of the Year and the Lifetime PR Contribution Award, for individuals who have made sustained contributions to the development of the profession.

Ayetutu commended the LaPRIGA 2026 Awards Selection Committee, led by Dr. Dare Ogunyombo, for reviewing the categories to reflect the changing structure of the communication industry.

Ogunyombo said the assessment process would place greater weight on strategy, creativity, execution and measurable results rather than visibility alone.

Entries will be judged on strategy and objectives, creativity and innovation, execution and implementation, and impact and measurement.

The framework also gives prominence to emerging areas including artificial intelligence and technology deployment, crisis communication, sustainability, community relations, workplace communication, professional education and thought leadership.

Chairman of the LaPRIGA 2026 Planning and Fund-Raising Committee, Tope Akande, said preparations were already underway to deliver what he described as the strongest edition of the awards so far.

He said the committee was focused on stakeholder engagement, partnerships, guest experience and effective delivery of the event, while calling on communication professionals, agencies and corporate organisations to participate.

Entries open on August 31, 2026, and close on September 30, 2026. Eligible entries must relate to PR and marketing communication campaigns, activities and programmes initiated and concluded between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

The Lagos NIPR said the awards are open to practitioners, agencies, corporate organisations, government institutions and other eligible stakeholders across the communication ecosystem.

Beyond recognising outstanding work, LaPRIGA 2026 is expected to bring together public relations practitioners, advertising professionals, corporate communicators, journalists, government communication specialists, brand managers, digital communication experts, academics and business leaders.

Ayetutu said the event was designed not merely as an awards ceremony but as a platform for strengthening professional standards and encouraging communication that produces tangible value.

“Recognition matters. When we recognise excellence, we encourage excellence. When we celebrate innovation, we inspire others to innovate,” he said.