By 
APRA Executive Members 2024
Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, the Head of Media Relations at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has been elected Secretary-General of the African Public Relations Association (APRA) at its 35th Annual Conference and AGM in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
RELATED: Ibietan highlights digital inclusion as key to effective digital PR at APRA conference
Ibietan joins a three-member Executive Council alongside President Arik Karani from Kenya and Vice President Dr. Michele Mekeme from Cameroon. A fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and APRA, Ibietan pledged to work with the Executive Council to continue APRA’s reforms and promote greater participation from national public relations bodies across Africa.
Minister of Information celebrates new APRA executive council
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has congratulated the newly-elected Executive Council of the APRA. As a Fellow of APRA, Minister Idris highlighted the election’s importance for the advancement of public relations across Africa. He emphasised that this pivotal moment for APRA, coupled with the collective expertise and leadership of the new executive council, will be instrumental in achieving the association’s long-term vision.
Ibietan emphasized his commitment to collaborating with the African Union Commission and the Council of Ministers to integrate public relations into policy and project implementation. With a robust background in journalism, communication strategy, and public relations, he has over 20 years of experience in the field.
Ibietan: The PR Practitioner as a ResearcherÂ
Earlier in his career, Ibietan served as Special Media Advisor to the Federal Minister of Information and Communication in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. His academic credentials include a BA and MA in Communication Arts and Communication & Language Arts from the Universities of Uyo and Ibadan, respectively, as well as a Ph.D. in Communication from North-West University, South Africa. He is also an IP3 certified regulation specialist and holds a mini MBA in telecommunications from NEOTELIS in Paris.
Ibietan is a member of several professional organizations, including the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) and the International Institute of Communications (IIC). He is a faculty member at the Nigerian campus of Italy-based Rome Business School (RBS), where he teaches PR, Advertising, Media Management, and Communication Strategy.
His book, “Social Media, Social Demography, and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria,” was published in May 2023 by Premium Times Books. Ibietan has traveled extensively, presenting papers and engaging in professional development across Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia.
At the APRA conference, Ibietan presented a paper titled “Digital Inclusion as Arbiter of Accessible Public Relations: A Case of Nigerian Communications Commission.” Using Castells’ Theory of the Network Society and the Knowledge Gap Theory, he argued that digital inclusion is foundational to digital public relations and the digital economy. He showcased the NCC’s initiatives in expanding digital infrastructure and promoting access to digital resources as critical to this effort.
APRA, established in Nairobi in 1975 as successor to FAPRA
APRA, established in Nairobi in 1975 as the successor to the Federation of African Public Relations Association (FAPRA), aims to unite Africans and their global allies through communication and exchange. This year’s conference theme, “One Africa, One Voice: Bridging Africa’s Communication Divide,” highlights the importance of unified communication across the continent.
Endorsed by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and major global PR associations, the conference also features the Innovation Summit (IN2SUMMIT) and the SABRE Awards Africa. The APRA secretariat is located in Nigeria, and the organization maintains observer status with the African Union.
