The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have been selected as finalists for the 2024 SABRE Africa PR Awards in Crisis/Issue Management and Public Sector/Government categories, respectively.
The campaigns of the two organisations were undertaken in partnership with a multi-award-winning PR agency, Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), the Publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokesperson’s Digest.
This year’s Africa PR awards which recognise Superior Achievement in Branding Reputation and Engagement (SABRE) will be held on May 16, 2024 in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire on the sidelines of the annual Conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA).
PRovoke Media organises the award in collaboration with APRA to celebrate outstanding campaigns and brands that exhibit the highest levels of strategic planning, creativity, integrity, effectiveness and business results across the continent.
The NIPR is nominated for utilising Media Relations and stakeholder engagement in fighting quackery in PR practice and attracting unprecedented numbers of registered members. Meanwhile, certified PR practitioners are now appointed spokespersons in major organisations in the public and private sectors, especially security and financial services.
After he was elected NIPR President last year, Dr. Ike Neliaku has organised a series of programmes to enhance the image of PR practitioners and sanction individuals who practice without certification.
Similarly, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was nominated for the impactful leadership of its boss, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who, in 100 Days in office, deployed PR tools for awareness creation, stakeholders’ collaboration, and citizen compliance with customs reforms. The campaign ensured wider publicity and enhanced stakeholder collaboration, leading to improved border security and a boost in revenue generation.
Before he was appointed the Customs boss, CGS Adewale was the longest-serving spokesperson of the Service and was also Vice President and Fellow of NIPR, the regulatory body for the practice of Public Relations in Nigeria.
Speaking on the nomination of its clients, the Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), Yushau A. Shuaib, said: “We are delighted that outstanding public relations campaigns that are making a positive impact through PR practitioners have been selected for the prestigious global awards. We will continue to support and promote our stakeholders and clients with the best in PR through professionalism and excellent service delivery.”
The SABRE Awards are prestigious accolades that celebrate excellence in public relations. They recognise outstanding achievements in brand communication, reputation management, and engagement across various world regions.