ICPC Chairman to Lead National Conversation on Anti-Corruption Reforms at 2026 Spokespersons Lecture, Awards

James Emejo in Abuja

Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 National Spokespersons Awards and Economic Confidential Annual Lecture, as Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) announced plans for the 2026 National Spokespersons Awards (NS-Awards) and the Economic Confidential Annual Lecture.
This will be the most expansive edition of the event since inception, according to IMPR—publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokespersons Digest.
The event will takw place on August 13, 2026, in Abuja.
Managing Director of IMPR, Mr. Yushau A. Shuaib, who announced the programme, said the annual awards had become Nigeria’s foremost platform for celebrating excellence in public communication, having consistently rewarded spokespersons who demonstrate professionalism, integrity, innovation and effective public engagement.
According to him, the credibility of the awards had continued to grow, with the 2026 edition enjoying the endorsement of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), following previous collaborations with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Shuaib explained that finalists for this year’s awards emerged after what he described as a rigorous and independent evaluation conducted by a panel of senior editors, communication scholars and public relations experts from hundreds of nominations submitted across the country.
He noted that the transparent selection process had helped establish the awards as a benchmark for excellence in strategic communication, with several previous winners subsequently earning global recognition.
According to him, organisations including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Communications Commission have all gone on to secure international honours after receiving recognition through the National Spokespersons Awards.
Shuaib also disclosed that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, a former recipient of the National Spokespersons Awards, will receive a Special Recognition Award at the 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece, describing the development as further validation of the awards’ credibility.
Beyond recognising communication excellence, the organisers said the Economic Confidential Annual Lecture would focus on strengthening governance through transparency and effective public engagement.
This year’s lecture, themed “Anti-Corruption Reforms, Economic Stability and Effective Communication,” will be delivered by the ICPC boss who is expected to examine how accountability, transparency and strategic communication can reinforce economic resilience and deepen public confidence in government institutions.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, will chair the event.
Another major attraction of the programme will be the unveiling of a national research report entitled “AI in Crisis Communication in Nigeria,” which explores the application of artificial intelligence in emergency communication, media verification, fact-checking, combating misinformation and strengthening institutional responses during national emergencies.
According to the organisers, the report will provide practical recommendations on deploying emerging digital technologies to improve crisis communication, rebuild public trust and equip spokespersons with modern tools for more effective engagement.
Shuaib said the event would attract spokespersons, editors, policymakers, corporate executives, diplomats, academics, development partners and civil society organisations, adding that it had evolved beyond an awards ceremony into a national forum for promoting higher professional standards, knowledge exchange and strategic communication as a catalyst for good governance and sustainable national development.
He called on stakeholders, nominees, sponsors and members of the public to participate in what he described as an intellectually enriching and nationally significant gathering aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s communication ecosystem.