The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has honoured the leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, as the most influential corporate voice.

The credit came at the National Spokespersons Awards 2025, which concluded the recently held 2nd Nigeria Spokespersons Summit jointly organised by the Institute and the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Abuja.

Announcing the award, the Chairman of the Awards Planning Committee, Mr. Segun McMedal, said Julius Berger joined two other corporate organisations to receive the prestigious recognition as influential corporate voices in the 2024/25 year under review.

He listed the adjudication criteria to include the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively, ensuring messages are easily understood, possessing skills in tailoring communication to different media channels while maintaining message integrity, frequency and quality of media engagements, including interviews, press conferences, press releases, and op-eds, as well as the ability to craft compelling narratives that effectively communicate the organisation’s objectives and achievements.

Furthermore, the recognition, he added was based on proficiency in leveraging emerging communication channels, tools, and technologies to enhance engagement and outreach, as well as NIPR’s evaluation of how effectively the organisation’s Public Relations (PR) objectives were met, measuring the overall success and influence of communication efforts.

Thus, being media -savvy and the organisation’s visibility in the media, story telling and framing ability, the use of new technologies, and the outcome and impact of the effort, among others, helped in determining the influence of our corporate voices of choice, he said.

In a related development, Julius Berger’s Media Relations Manager, Emmanuel Isibor, won NIPR’s outstanding Spokesperson, Crisis Management, (Private Sector) Award at the event. Citing the rise and positive visibility of Julius Berger throughout 2024 till date in the media, in spite of the challenges in the sector and the general public, as well as the regularity of the organisation’s media reports across print, broadcast, and online platforms, McMedal said the Award was very deserving, urging all winners to continue to enhance their professionalism in the discharge of their duties as worthy ambassadors of the Institute.

In his brief remarks ahead of the Awards ceremony, President of the Institute, Dr. Ike Neliaku said, the summit leads to the awards.

“This is part of the whole process of recognising spokespersons so that you can have a voice. You have a platform for yourself. Not only do you come together to interact, learn, and understand the new things going on in the industry, but it is also for you to showcase yourselves through crisis,” he said.

Declaring the event open on the first day of the Summit, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the NIPR as a compelling imprimatur of professionalism in Nigeria’s public relations practice.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, emphasised the urgent need for ethical leadership communication to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, saying, “after 25 years of uninterrupted democracy, Nigeria has reached a point where our communication of leadership and policy must reflect the maturity of our democratic process.”

He warned that the spread of misinformation undermines democratic values, adding that, public relations should not be viewed as spin or propaganda but as a vehicle for truth. When communication is rooted in integrity, citizens are empowered to make informed decisions and hold leaders accountable.

The Minister of Information, Alh. Mohammed Idris Malagi, his predecessor, Alh. Lai Mohammed, former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba, former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke, and the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akintunde Rotimi Jr, were among the participants at the two-day event hosted by the President of the NIPR.