By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani has confirmed that Kaduna State will host the 2026 Nigeria Public Relations Week, pledging to make it one of the most successful editions of the annual event.
The Governor made the announcement on Monday when the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, led members of his executive on a courtesy visit to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
Sani said the theme for the 2026 edition, “Food Security: From Policy Paper to Public Plates, The Public Relations Imperatives”, aligns with the state’s Peace Model, which promotes a non-kinetic approach to addressing insecurity.
He said his administration identified economic hardship as a major trigger of insecurity and subsequently increased budgetary allocation to agriculture from less than one percent to 12 percent, surpassing the 10 percent Malabo Declaration target.
“The adequate funding of agriculture is central to our Peace Model because the sector contributes 43 percent to Kaduna’s GDP and employs about 60 percent of our people,” he stated.
The governor disclosed that over 500,000 hectares of land had been reclaimed, with Kaduna becoming the first subnational to launch a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone. He added that the state was also developing an Agricultural Quality Assurance Centre with Afreximbank’s support to boost food production and reduce post-harvest losses.
Sani said 192 primary health centres and schools earlier closed due to insecurity had reopened, while peace and business activities had returned to Birnin Gwari and Giwa.
Earlier, Dr. Neliaku said Kaduna was chosen after a rigorous selection process, adding that the 2026 PR Week would precede the World Public Relations Forum, scheduled for November 2026, the first of its kind in Nigeria and only the second in Africa.
He also disclosed plans to establish the world’s first University of Public Relations and Leadership in Nigeria in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.