CBN, NITDA and CCC Emerge Finalists for 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards
Nigeria has recorded another major milestone on the global public relations stage as three strategic communication campaigns executed by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) have been shortlisted as finalists for the prestigious 2026 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards (GWA).
The shortlisted entries—“Reclaiming Public Trust in Nigeria’s Central Banking” for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and “AI for Crisis Communication: From Study to Strategy” for the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC)—have advanced to the final round of the global competition, where they will be evaluated by an international jury of communication experts.
The nominations fall under the Corporate Communication, AI for Crisis Management, and Publication categories.
The IPRA Golden World Awards are widely regarded as one of the most respected honours in global public relations, celebrating campaigns that demonstrate innovation, measurable impact, creativity, and adherence to the highest professional standards.
The CBN entry spotlights a strategic communication programme designed to rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s apex bank following sweeping monetary and foreign exchange reforms introduced under Governor Olayemi Cardoso.
According to the submission, the campaign repositioned the CBN as a transparent, reform driven institution through structured Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) briefings, stakeholder engagements, investor relations, media management, and international advocacy.
The initiative, implemented under the Corporate Communication Department after Governor Cardoso appointed Hakama Sidi Ali as the first female spokesperson in the history of the CBN, sought to close communication gaps around difficult monetary policy decisions while strengthening domestic and international confidence in Nigeria’s economic reform agenda.
The documentation cited improvements in investor sentiment, rising foreign reserves, exchange rate stability, inflation moderation, and Nigeria’s successful return to the Eurobond market as outcomes supported by a coherent communication strategy.
The second finalist entry focuses on the establishment of the Crisis Communication Hub (CCHub)—a national platform that emerged from a 107 page empirical research project on Artificial Intelligence and crisis communication conducted by IMPR CEO, Yushau A. Shuaib, with support from NITDA.
The research examined the risks and opportunities of AI driven communication technologies and recommended a coordinated national framework to combat misinformation, disinformation, and digital threats.
Its findings led the Centre for Crisis Communication to convene the First National Symposium on Digital Innovations in Crisis Communication, which formally endorsed the creation of the CCHub. The Hub now functions as a multi stakeholder mechanism for monitoring fake news, tracking harmful narratives, supporting fact checking, and promoting coordinated crisis response efforts across Nigeria.
All shortlisted entries will undergo a final round of assessment by a distinguished international jury before winners are announced at the 2026 Golden World Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner in Athens, Greece later in the year.
This recognition further elevates Nigeria’s profile in global public relations practice. IMPR previously won the IPRA Golden World Award in 2025 for a publication project executed for the Nigeria Customs Service, alongside other international honours including the SABRE Africa Awards.
The emergence of the Nigerian entries among global finalists underscores the growing importance of strategic communication in economic reforms, crisis management, digital governance, and institutional reputation building.
The final jury’s decision will determine whether the CBN trust restoration campaign and the AI driven Crisis Communication Hub initiative join the ranks of internationally acclaimed public relations projects recognised by IPRA for advancing excellence and innovation in communication practice worldwide.