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Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head of Media Relations Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and author, addressed the significance of digital inclusion in digital public relations at the 35th Annual Conference and AGM of the African Public Relations Association (APRA) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
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His presentation, titled “Digital Inclusion as Arbiter of Accessible Public Relations: A Case of Nigerian Communications Commission,” was the opening paper of the conference’s business sessions.
In his talk, Ibietan emphasized the critical role of the NCC in promoting digital inclusion through foundational incentives. “Using Castells’ Theory of the Network Society and the Knowledge Gap Theory, and examining the Nigerian government’s initiatives through the NCC, I propose that digital inclusion is the key arbiter of effective digital public relations,” said Ibietan, also the author of Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria.
Ibietan highlighted how the NCC’s implementation of laws, policies, guidelines, and developmental regulations, along with collaborative partnerships, social investments, and operational efficiencies, underpins the digital economy. He argued that these efforts enhance access to digital resources, forming the building blocks of both the digital economy and digital public relations.
The five-day APRA Conference, themed “One Africa, One Voice: Bridging Africa’s Communication Divide,” focused on the role of public relations in unifying Africa and amplifying its voice globally.
Other speakers include Derick Mwelwa Chiweshe, a communications media consultant; Kwame Senou, executive chair, The Holding Opinion & Public (THOP); Brenda Matasane, account manager at WE Communications; and Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, president, CMC Connect LLP and outgoing ARP president.
A notable feature of the conference was the workshop “AI-Powered PR: Amplifying Africa’s Unified Voice,” which explored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in public relations.
APRA, originally established as the Federation of African Public Relations Association (FAPRA) in Nairobi in 1975, aims to foster unity among Africans and their global allies through meaningful interactions. The 2024 conference received support from the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, The Holding Opinion & Public (THOP), and major global PR associations, including the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (GA), the African Union Commission (AUC), and national PR associations across Africa.
The event also featured the eighth Innovation Summit (IN2SUMMIT) and the seventh SABRE Awards Africa.
