The Abia State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has unveiled a fresh drive to enforce the provisions of the NIPR Act, declaring that it will intensify compliance efforts across the state while simultaneously preparing communication professionals for the rapidly changing political landscape ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The renewed commitment emerged during the Chapter’s July monthly meeting in Umuahia, where members outlined a dual strategy focused on eliminating unqualified practitioners from the profession and strengthening the capacity of licensed public relations professionals through continuous learning.

Speaking during the meeting, Chairperson of the Chapter’s NIPR Act Compliance and Monitoring Committee, Barrister Janet Egwu, announced that the committee has finalised plans to begin extensive advocacy and sensitisation visits to government institutions, private organisations and corporate establishments throughout Abia State.

She explained that the initiative will educate employers and organisational leaders on the legal requirements governing the practice of public relations in Nigeria.

More importantly, she stressed that organisations must ensure they engage only qualified, licensed and duly registered public relations practitioners in line with the NIPR Act.

According to Egwu, the committee remains determined to strengthen compliance with the law while protecting the credibility of the profession from the growing activities of unqualified practitioners.

She, however, maintained that preserving professional standards cannot rest solely on the committee’s shoulders. Instead, she urged every member of the Institute to actively support efforts aimed at defending the integrity of public relations practice.

“The committee has the mandate to monitor compliance with the Act, but every member must also contribute to protecting the profession. The NIPR Act clearly recognises the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations as the statutory body responsible for regulating public relations practice in Nigeria,” she stated.

Furthermore, she disclosed that the planned engagements would deepen awareness of the law among organisations across the state while encouraging strict adherence to professional standards.

“Our objective is not only to promote compliance but also to ensure that only competent and certified practitioners handle public relations responsibilities in organisations across Abia State,” she added.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the NIPR Abia State Chapter, Onyinye Ralph Nwachukwu, FNIPR, reaffirmed the Chapter’s unwavering commitment to professionalism, ethical conduct and strict observance of the NIPR Act.

She therefore encouraged members to remain resolute in safeguarding the reputation of the profession through integrity, accountability and continuous professional excellence.

In addition, Nwachukwu commended the NIPR Act Compliance and Monitoring Committee for taking proactive steps to strengthen regulation within the state.

She equally pledged the Chapter’s full support for initiatives designed to preserve the credibility of the profession and improve compliance with existing legal provisions.

Beyond regulatory enforcement, the Chapter also turned its attention to professional development by organising an intensive in-house capacity-building programme designed to prepare practitioners for the communication realities expected to shape Nigeria’s political environment before, during and after the 2027 elections.

The training session, themed Managing Public Relations in Nigeria’s Challenging Political Environment, featured a presentation by Dr. Heavens U. N. Obasi, who challenged practitioners to reposition themselves as strategic advisers rather than mere image managers.

Dr. Obasi described public relations as a profession built on reputation management, stakeholder confidence and strategic communication, noting that today’s communication environment demands greater professionalism, adaptability and evidence-based decision-making.

Throughout the presentation, he identified several obstacles confronting practitioners, including declining public confidence in government institutions, ethnic and religious divisions, political patronage, widespread misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, cyber harassment, economic uncertainty and persistent security concerns.

Nevertheless, he emphasised that these challenges have also created new opportunities for innovation within the profession.

Consequently, Dr. Obasi urged practitioners to embrace emerging communication technologies, highlighting the growing relevance of artificial intelligence in sentiment analysis, stakeholder mapping, scenario planning, digital monitoring, influencer engagement and hyper-local communication strategies.

He further encouraged communication professionals to replace reactive communication with proactive, research-based planning, insisting that credibility, integrity and public trust remain the strongest assets any public relations practitioner can possess.

The Chapter noted that the training forms part of its broader continuing professional development programme aimed at equipping members with modern communication skills, strengthening ethical practice and enhancing their capacity to provide strategic leadership in Nigeria’s increasingly complex political and media ecosystem.