The Kaduna State Government has declared its readiness to be more than a host to the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), pledging to serve as an active partner in advancing the ideals of strategic communication, transparency and public trust.

This commitment was made by Ahmed Maiyaki, commissioner for information and culture, Kaduna state, at the opening ceremony of the third Nigerian Public Relations Week 2026, tagged Croc City 2026, held at the newly commissioned Brigadier General Abba Kyari Banquet Hall, adjourning Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna the first edition of the national event to be held in northern Nigeria.

Welcoming delegates to the state, Maiyaki described the occasion as arriving at a moment of particular significance for the public relations profession.

“It is my honour as Commissioner for Information and Culture of Kaduna State to warmly welcome you to Kaduna State for the third NIPR Week, Croc City 2026, and the first of its kind in northern Nigeria. We are proud as a state to host this distinguished gathering of communication professionals at a time when the role of public relations has never been more critical to governance, development and national cohesion,” he said.

The commissioner was emphatic that Kaduna State’s involvement in the week was not limited to hospitality. “Kaduna State stands ready not only as your host but as a partner in advancing the ideals of strategic communication, transparency and public trust,” he said, framing the state’s participation as a deliberate alignment between the government’s communication philosophy and the professional mandate of NIPR. The declaration reflected the broader approach of Governor Senator Uba Sani’s administration, which has consistently positioned communication as a core instrument of governance rather than a secondary function.

Maiyaki shared a detail from the day before the opening ceremony that he said spoke louder than any official assurance about security in Kaduna. He revealed that delegates and media professionals had been taken on a tour of major projects executed by the governor across several sectors of the state, and that the entire tour was conducted without a single police escort.

“That is to tell you, Kaduna is safe,” he said simply, to the evident appreciation of the audience. The statement carried weight at a time when perceptions of northern Nigeria in national discourse do not always reflect the ground reality.

Maiyaki encouraged delegates to approach the days ahead with the full depth of engagement that the week’s programme deserved.

“Distinguished delegates, over the coming days, I encourage you to engage deeply, share boldly and collaborate, and feel the rich culture, warmth and hospitality that define our dear state,” he said.

His remarks combined official welcome with a genuine invitation to experience Kaduna beyond the conference hall, positioning the state as a destination that had earned the right to host one of the most significant gatherings in Nigeria’s communications calendar.

The hosting of NIPR Week 2026 in Kaduna represents a milestone not only for the state but for the broader effort to spread the professional development conversations of Nigeria’s communications industry beyond the traditional southern hubs of Lagos and Abuja.

For Kaduna State, the occasion offered an opportunity to demonstrate its institutional readiness, its commitment to strategic communication in governance and its openness to the national and international community of public relations practitioners. The Commissioner’s pledge of partnership rather than mere hospitality signals that the relationship between Kaduna and NIPR is intended to outlast the week’s programme.