L – R: Chairman, Awards Selection Committee, Dr Oludare Ogunyombo; Chairman, Planning and Fund Raising Committee, Tope Akande; Chairman, Lagos NIPR, Dr Samuel Ayetutu, fnipr; and Vice-Chairman, Lagos NIPR, Eniola Mayowa, fnipr at the press conference to announce LAPRIGA 2026 Awards.
The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has unveiled the 2026 Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala and Awards (LAPRIGA), scheduled to hold on Friday, 11th December 2026, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, with a renewed commitment to celebrating innovation, originality, excellence and measurable influence across the communication industry.
The 2026 edition, which marks another significant chapter in the evolution of the prestigious industry awards, is themed “Redefining Innovation and Influence.”
Speaking at a media briefing to formally unveil the event, Chairman of the Lagos NIPR, Dr. Samuel Ayetutu, said, “The theme was carefully chosen against the backdrop of profound changes taking place across public relations, advertising, digital communication, content creation, technology and brand management”.
According to him, the boundaries between these disciplines are becoming increasingly fluid, requiring communication professionals to continually rethink how they create value and influence.
“Innovation is no longer simply about doing something new. It is about doing something differently, intelligently and meaningfully, in ways that solve problems, create value and deliver measurable impact.”
Dr. Ayetutu noted that influence in today’s communication environment is no longer determined merely by the size of an organisation’s media budget or its visibility in traditional media. Rather, it is increasingly earned through credibility, relevance, authenticity, engagement and the ability to shape conversations.
He observed that artificial intelligence, data analytics, social listening, automation and other emerging technologies are fundamentally transforming how practitioners research, create, distribute and measure communication.
“Technology has given practitioners unprecedented opportunities to reach and engage audiences, but it has also created new responsibilities,” he said, stressing that in an era where artificial intelligence can generate content within seconds, originality, authenticity and insight have become even more valuable.
The Chairman explained that LaPRIGA 2026 would therefore celebrate not merely activity or visibility, but creativity, value and impact. “The question is no longer simply, ‘Can we create content?’ The more important question is, ‘Can we create something original, authentic, insightful and consequential?’”
A major highlight of LAPRIGA 2026 is the introduction of new and expanded award categories designed to reflect the breadth and changing realities of contemporary public relations and communication practice.
The awards will recognise outstanding achievements across areas including PR Agency of the Year, Public Service PR Campaign of the Year, Brand PR Campaign of the Year, PR Excellence in Issues and Crisis Management, Best Innovative Technology Deployment in PR, Most Influential PR Professional of the Year, Best Workplace Development PR Initiative, Community Relations Excellence, Sustainability PR and Communication, PR Educator (Tertiary) of the Year and PR Trainer (Professional Development) of the Year, among others.
There will also be honorary recognitions, including the Lagos PR Personality of the Year and Lifetime PR Contribution Award, celebrating individuals whose sustained contributions have advanced the profession.
Dr. Ayetutu commended the LAPRIGA 2026 Awards Selection Committee, led by Dr. Dare Ogunyombo, for its work in reviewing and expanding the categories.
He said the review was necessary to ensure that LAPRIGA remains inclusive, credible and representative of the depth and diversity of modern communication practice.
