The African Public Relations Association (APRA), has elected the Head, Media Relations at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, as Secretary-General, at its 35th Annual Conference and General Meeting in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Dr. Ibietan, who is also a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), was elected along with President, Arik Karani from Kenya and Vice President, Dr. Michele Mekeme from Cameroon.
Dr. Ibietan pledged to work with the council to advance reforms within APRA, expand participation of national public relations institutions, and collaborate closely with the African Union to prioritize public relations in policy implementation. He emphasized the importance of digital inclusion in public relations, presenting a paper titled ‘Digital Inclusion as Arbiter of Accessible Public Relations: A Case Study of Nigerian Communications Commission’. Using theoretical frameworks and the NCC’s initiatives, he argued that digital inclusion is essential for a digital economy and effective public relations.
APRA, established in 1975, aims to unify Africans and their global allies through standardized public relations practices. The conference, themed ‘One Africa, One Voice: Bridging Africa’s Communication Divide,’ is endorsed by various international PR bodies and the Ivorian government and includes the IN2SUMMIT and SABRE Awards Africa.
