The PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship (PYCF)—a flagship initiative of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR)—won the Industry Impact Award at the Nigeria Digital Public Relations Awards, while IMPR’s MD/CEO, Yushau A. Shuaib, was honoured as a Digital Communications Ambassador, Class of 2026.
The dual honours were announced at a gala marking the close of the 11th Nigeria Digital Public Relations Summit in Lagos, themed “The Rise of Digital Influence: Culture, Creators and the New PR Playbook.”
Organised by Upticomm Marketing Company, the summit convener Segun McMedal said the awards and ambassadorial recognitions were created to close gaps in Nigeria’s digital communication ecosystem and promote professionalism, innovation, and responsible use of digital platforms.
The Industry Impact Award celebrates the PYCF for nurturing emerging professionals in journalism, public relations, fact‑checking, strategic communication and digital media. The organiser noted that the fellowship stands out for its emphasis on practical training, professional ethics and technological innovation.
Mr. Shuaib was among 50 Digital Communications Ambassadors unveiled during the ceremony for his contributions to digital public relations, crisis communication, media innovation and professional capacity‑building through PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and other specialised platforms operated by IMPR.
Shuaib’s recognition adds to the firm’s portfolio of national and international prizes, including multiple SABRE Africa Awards and IPRA Golden World Awards. In 2020, IMPR was ranked the world’s most creative public relations agency in PRovoke Media’s Global Creative Index
In 2026, IMPR secured the IPRA Grand Prix in Athens, Greece, for its AI-driven crisis communication campaign “From Study to Strategy,” executed in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC).
Since its establishment in 2024, the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship has trained 90 young communicators across three editions. Participants are selected through a competitive national application process and trained at PRNigeria Centres in Abuja, Kano and Ilorin.
The programme has attracted endorsements from major professional bodies, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), and CCC.
Each year, the fellowship admits 30 fellows across the three centres. Its curriculum blends intensive classroom instruction with newsroom simulations, practical assignments, institutional visits, mentorship and engagements with experienced journalists and communication specialists.
Training covers investigative and development journalism, public relations, crisis communication, fact‑checking, digital content production, open‑source intelligence, media ethics and the responsible application of AI. Several alumni are now journalists, editors, communication officers and digital‑media practitioners.
The 2026 edition, themed “Ethical Communication in the Age of AI,” was graced by investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo and communication scholar Professor Umaru Pate. It equipped young practitioners with the skills to navigate misinformation, disinformation, emerging digital technologies and the demands of modern journalism.
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