…As GLG Communications celebrates 50 PR professionals for exceptional impact

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s Public Relations (PR) industry have raised concerns over the declining public trust in government, challenging the PR practitioners to step up with strategic actions and reinvent systems aimed at repairing the eroded trust between the citizens and the government.

The stakeholders, while speaking during the fifth edition of the PR Power List 2026 Soirée and Awards, organised by GLG Communications, in partnership with The Guardian, emphasised the need for practitioners to return to the drawing board by reshaping the prevailing narratives and deploying effective strategies to rebuild public confidence, noting that restoring trust is critical for national development.

The event, held in Lagos to commemorate the World PR Day marked every July 16, honoured 50 professionals whose strategic thinking, innovation and leadership continue to shape organisations, influence public discourse and advance the practice of public relations.

In his keynote address, President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku, said that to address the challenge, practitioners must embrace development communication over conventional strategic communication as a more effective approach to rebuilding trust between government, corporate bodies, and citizens in the country.

He said that the growing distrust in government had been an age-long crisis that began from the era of colonialism, saying that the growing crisis of distrust is gradually becoming a deficit that runs through every aspect of the Nigerian system.

“Citizens don’t trust government and that’s the reality. It didn’t start today. It’s a product of a hangover from the colonial days,” he stated.

Neliaku noted that during the colonial era, Nigerians had no opportunity to participate in government decisions but were merely kept abreast of developments through the Ministry of Information that was established at the time.

“That was why they established the Ministry of Information because they considered that trust was not necessary. All that was necessary is that this is the position of the government and it is either you take it or leave it,” he said.

The NIPR President, while citing the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu‘s remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale entrepreneurship, such as Akara and corn businesses, noted that the message was misunderstood by many Nigerians who are used to strategic communication, emphasising that what the President’s wife practised was development communication, which is what the country needs at the moment.

According to him, when she was communicating the message, it wasn’t for those on social media but to ordinary people who don’t have access to smartphones.”

He, however, stressed that for the government to regain the trust of the citizens, it must be earned through prioritising those they govern and shun making empty promises that wouldn’t later be fulfilled.

In her remarks, Managing Partner at GLG Communications and Creator of the PR Power List, Omawunmi Ogbe, emphasised the importance of celebrating the industry professionals who continue to advance the practice of public relations in the sector over the past 12 months.

She said that the public relations industry across Africa is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing global recognition of African professionals and expanding participation in international platforms.

According to her, many more Africans, particularly Nigerians, are gaining visibility at major global events, festivals, and professional associations, such as the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), and top global institutions, including the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.