Kaduna to Host 2026 Nigeria Public Relations Week — Gov Uba Sani Promises Landmark Event

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has announced that the state will host the 2026 Nigeria Public Relations Week, assuring that the event will be one of the best in the country’s history.

The Governor made the commitment during a courtesy visit by the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, and members of his Executive Committee at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.

Governor Sani pledged to nominate two government officials to serve on the National Planning Committee and three others on the Local Organising Committee.

He noted that the theme for the 2026 edition, “Food Security: From Policy Paper to Public Plates — The Public Relations Imperatives,” aligns with the Kaduna Peace Model, which promotes non-kinetic strategies for tackling insecurity.

Speaking on his administration’s achievements, Sani said his team had studied the underlying causes of insecurity in Kaduna, identifying economic hardship and neglect of agriculture as major drivers.

“When we came in, agriculture was underfunded, with less than 1% budget allocation. We increased it to 12%, surpassing the Malabo Declaration benchmark of 10%,” the Governor stated.

He explained that agriculture now contributes 43% to Kaduna’s GDP and employs about 60% of the population, noting that over 500,000 hectares of farmland have been reclaimed.

The Governor also highlighted key projects, including the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, aimed at transforming agriculture into a high-value economic sector, and the Agricultural Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), developed with Afrexim Bank’s support to reduce post-harvest losses.

Sani further revealed that 192 primary healthcare centres and all schools previously closed due to insecurity have been reopened, while peace has returned to Birnin Gwari and Giwa.

“The UK Government has lifted its travel restrictions on Kaduna, upgrading it from ‘red’ to ‘amber’. Since I assumed office, there has been no ethno-religious crisis in the state,” he added.

Earlier, NIPR President Dr. Ike Neliaku said Kaduna was chosen to host the event after a rigorous selection process, with Kano as a backup option.

He disclosed that Nigeria will also host the World Public Relations Forum in November 2026, marking the first time the event will be held in Nigeria and only the second time in Africa.

“The Kaduna edition of the Nigeria Public Relations Week will serve as the foundational programme to usher in the World Public Relations Forum,” Neliaku noted.

He further announced plans to establish the first University of Public Relations and Leadership in the world, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.