Telecom
Industry and Thought Leaders Unite for World PR Day to Advocate for The Future of PR Practice
For the fourth year in a row, public relations practitioners, students, and industry thought leaders will gather on July 16, 2024, to celebrate, share knowledge and address critical issues facing the PR and communication landscape for the highly acclaimed global event, World PR Day (WPRD).
WPRD, an annual event, was instituted in 2020 for practitioners to celebrate and take pride in the role they play in shaping and building brands through strategic communications. For its past three editions, it has also provided a platform for professionals to set standards for the practice, create a unified agenda, and continue to help brands, companies, and governments understand the crucial role the industry plays in shaping businesses.
Speaking about this year’s edition, themed “The Future Of Public Relations In A Changing World,” Ayeni Adekunle, Convener of World PR Day, said that activities will be held across the globe with the aim of furthering the message of not only what PR practitioners do, their contributions to the growth and success of businesses, and also help professionals understand the trajectory the industry is taking a rapidly changing world.
“In line with our commitment to celebrating the pivotal role of PR practitioners, this year’s edition promises a global showcase of our industry’s invaluable contributions to business, institutions, and international growth and success,” he said.
“World PR Day 2024 will offer practitioners the opportunity to have the much-needed conversation regarding the future of our industry – asking and answering questions like: what needs to be done to stay abreast of the dynamic changes the world is witnessing? What role can practitioners, as communicators, play in a world faced with multiple wars and where brands indulge in unhealthy competitions?”
There has been, for years, a misconception by the general public regarding what PR professionals do. While some view their role as ambiguous, others do not trust public relations practitioners as a report by PR Week showed. Even more extreme are public views that see the industry as one contracted by brands to ‘deceive.’ Another study by PR Week reviewed that 92 percent of surveyed 1,500 Britons believe that brands and organisations use PR to “hide the truth and cover up mistakes.”
Within the industry, maintaining ethical and professional practices remains the major concern of practitioners. As a 2022-2023 Africa PR & Communications Report review found, 20.1 percent of the over 3,000 participants surveyed expressed this concern. Talent drought remains another major problem that needs to be addressed. A staggering 74.8 percent of practitioners living across 29 African countries say there is a drastic drop in talent in their countries. This, understandably, has resulted in over 80 percent of professionals admitting to being overworked.
Addressing these challenges, from public perception of the industry to earning trust – emphasising that transparency and integrity are hallmarks of public relations – tackling industry issues (underpayment, talent drought, and overwork), remains the core objectives and driving force of WPRD.
Since its debut in 2021, WPRD has witnessed commendable growth as professionals continue to queue into this initiative of building an inclusive and trusted industry where practitioners take absolute pride in the work they do. While 3,500 practitioners participated in the first edition of WPRD, the second edition in 2022, themed ‘Trust, Truth, and Transparency’, saw participation grow to 10,000. Stakeholders like GLG Communications, Global Media Alliance Forum, and the Public Relations Council of India held conferences, fireside chats, virtual and physical events, summits, and festivals to amplify the need for gaining trust, standing for the truth, and maintaining transparency in the practice.
Enitan Kehinde, Lead Coordinator, World PR Day, described the annual event as crucial, particularly in a world where there’s not only a growing need for well-tailored brand messages to stand out among competitors but also a need to show what PR professionals do.
“Against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive landscape, the significance of this annual event cannot be overstated. It serves as a vital platform to showcase the indispensable role of PR professionals in crafting distinct brand narratives that resonate amidst fierce market dynamics,” she said.
The 2023 edition of WPRD, with its global reach of 60 million across 20 physical and 25 virtual events in over 60 countries, garnered recognition at the 2023 PRovoke EMEA SABRE awards. This achievement underscores WPRD’s ongoing success in promoting the public relations industry.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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