NIPR President Leads by Example with Landmark Registration Under New PR Byelaw
In a significant move towards elevating standards and reinforcing professionalism within Nigeria’s public relations sector, Dr. Ike Neliaku, President and Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), has become the first industry leader to register his PR consultancy under the newly amended NIPR Byelaw on Public Relations Consultancy Practice 2026.
The registration took place during an official courtesy visit by an NIPR delegation to the leadership of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) at their Lagos Secretariat. Demonstrating a commitment to ethical practice and institutional integrity, Dr. Neliaku’s act sets a compelling example for PR practitioners across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
Explaining his motivation, Dr. Ike Neliaku, President of NIPR, emphasised PRCAN’s role as the ethical standard-bearer for Nigeria’s public relations industry:
“As licensed practitioners of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, PRCAN represents the elite corps of PR practice in Nigeria and must be built on ethics that serve as the gold standard for what PR practice should be across Africa,” said Dr. Neliaku. “By registering my company under this new Byelaw, I am demonstrating full confidence in our shared vision to elevate standards, strengthen institutional governance, and lead the way in ethical, strategic communication across the continent.”
The move was warmly welcomed by PRCAN’s leadership. Dr. Nkechi Ali-Balogun, Chair of PRCAN, highlighted the significance of the action as a testament to ongoing sector reforms:
“We welcome this decisive step by the NIPR President,” said Dr. Nkechi Ali-Balogun.
“The provision of Public Relations services requires professional expertise, and familiarity with, and adherence to the highest standards of ethics and it is in the public interest that individuals and entities engaged in providing Public Relations consultancy services should be properly accredited and known to the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and members of the public who may require such services.”
She further added, “By registering his consultancy under our newly amended Byelaw right here at the PRCAN Secretariat, Dr. Neliaku has demonstrated practical leadership by example. This action reinforces our shared commitment to institutional governance, supports our ongoing recertification and new membership exercise, and underscores the vital partnership between our organisations in driving professional excellence in Public Relations across Nigeria and Africa.”
This landmark registration underscores the growing alignment between NIPR, Nigeria’s premier regulatory body for PR, and PRCAN, the trade association representing licensed PR consultancies. Both organisations reaffirmed their joint commitment to fostering strategic collaboration, capacity development, and refining membership frameworks to ensure industry standards remain both rigorous and inclusive.