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GLG Communications honours 50 communications professionals shaping corporate reputation, public policy and strategic storytelling
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Airtel Africa have earned top recognition in Nigeria’s public relations industry as Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications & Media Relations at NITDA, and Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Airtel Africa, were named among the country’s most influential communications professionals in the GLG Communications 2026 PR Power List.
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Released annually to commemorate World PR Day, the prestigious ranking celebrates 50 outstanding public relations and strategic communications professionals whose work has significantly shaped organisations, influenced public discourse, strengthened corporate reputation, and advanced the communications profession over the past year.
Now in its fifth edition, the PR Power List, published in partnership with The Guardian, has become one of Nigeria’s most respected benchmarks for excellence in public relations, corporate communications, reputation management and strategic storytelling.
Celebrating Strategic Communicators Behind Organisational Success
Unlike awards that focus primarily on visibility, the PR Power List recognises communications professionals whose strategic interventions have influenced corporate decisions, protected institutional reputations, managed crises, shaped public perception and delivered measurable business and societal impact.
This year’s honourees were selected after a rigorous evaluation involving independent research, extensive industry assessment and jury deliberations conducted by respected communications leaders from Nigeria and across the world.
The 2026 edition recognises excellence across four categories:
- Rising Voices
- Changemakers
- Community Impact
- Fourth Estate
Collectively, the categories recognise professionals driving innovation, influencing public policy, strengthening institutions, advancing social causes and promoting credible journalism.
Hadiza Umar Recognised Among Nigeria’s Rising Communications Leaders
Among this year’s standout honourees is Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications & Media Relations at NITDA, who was recognised in the Rising Voices category.
Her recognition reflects NITDA’s growing visibility and influence in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda through strategic communication, stakeholder engagement and effective public awareness campaigns around digital economy policies, innovation, digital literacy and technology adoption.
The Rising Voices category celebrates emerging communications leaders whose work continues to redefine excellence through innovative campaigns, strategic thinking and measurable organisational impact.
Emeka Oparah Honoured as Communications Changemaker
Also recognised was Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Corporate Communications & CSR at Airtel Africa, who earned a place in the prestigious Changemakers category.
Widely regarded as one of Africa’s leading corporate communications executives, Oparah was recognised for his long-standing contributions to corporate reputation management, brand leadership, sustainability communications and strategic stakeholder engagement across the telecommunications sector.
The Changemakers category honours industry leaders redefining public relations through innovation, bold leadership, organisational transformation and measurable impact across business and society.
PR Power List Focuses on Influence, Not Visibility
Commenting on the selection process, Kwame Senou, Executive Director at THOP and Jury President for the 2026 PR Power List, said the panel deliberately prioritised professionals whose work produced meaningful outcomes rather than media visibility.
“The jury was not looking for visibility. Visibility is now the cheapest thing in our industry.
“We were looking for consequence—for the practitioner whose work changed a decision before it was taken, who protected an institution when it was unpopular, who shifted a national conversation without needing their name on it.”
Senou, who also serves as Regional Advisor at Edelman and a member of the PRCA Global Advisory Board, distinguished publicity from strategic public relations.
“That is the entire difference between publicity and public relations. Publicity is something you do to a public. Public relations is something you build with one. Five editions in, this list knows the difference.”
Five Years of Recognising Communications Excellence
Reflecting on the milestone fifth edition, Omawumi Ogbe, Managing Partner of GLG Communications and creator of the PR Power List, said the initiative was established to recognise professionals whose work often takes place behind the scenes but delivers significant value across business, government and society.
According to her, the PR Power List has evolved into an authoritative record documenting individuals raising professional standards and redefining strategic communications in Nigeria.
“Five years ago, we set out to create a credible platform that recognises excellence in public relations and strategic communications.
“Today, the PR Power List has become more than an annual list; it has become a record of the people shaping our profession and raising the standard of strategic communications in Nigeria.”
Ogbe also acknowledged The Guardian, which has partnered with the initiative since inception, alongside the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), THOP, Alliance Française, and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for supporting the 2026 edition.
Communications Leaders Across Industries Honoured
The 2026 list features senior communications executives representing banking, telecommunications, government, energy, manufacturing, media, development organisations and multinational corporations.
Notable names recognised alongside Hadiza Umar and Emeka Oparah include:
- Anthony Chiejina (Dangote Group)
- Ike Neliaku (NIPR President)
- Nnenna Ukoha (Nigerian Communications Commission)
- Victoria Uwadoka (Nestlé)
- Oyinade Adegite (GTCO)
- Olayinka Ijabiyi (FirstBank Group)
- Hakama Sidi-Ali (Central Bank of Nigeria)
- Tolu Alero Ladipo (UBA)
- Damilola Ogunbiyi (SEforALL)
The Community Impact category celebrated communications professionals leveraging storytelling, advocacy and stakeholder engagement to drive measurable social development, while the Fourth Estate category recognised media organisations including ARISE TV, BusinessDay, and Nairametrics for strengthening journalism and public trust.
Strategic Communications Gains Greater Corporate Relevance
The growing prominence of the PR Power List reflects the expanding role of strategic communications in corporate governance, investor relations, crisis management, public policy advocacy and reputation building.
As organisations increasingly operate in a fast-moving digital information ecosystem shaped by social media, artificial intelligence and heightened stakeholder expectations, communications professionals are becoming central to executive decision-making and organisational resilience.
The release of the 2026 PR Power List forms part of activities marking World PR Day, culminating in the World PR Day Global Summit and the PR Power List Soirée & Awards, where this year’s honourees will be celebrated alongside communications leaders from Nigeria and around the world.
