Celebrities, Brands Shine as Nigeria Digital PR Summit Clocks 10 Years of Ethical Storytelling

Celebrities, Brands Shine as Nigeria Digital PR Summit Clocks 10 Years of Ethical Storytelling

The 10th edition of the Nigeria Digital PR Summit has wrapped up in Lagos with a night of glitz, recognition, and reflections on a decade of shaping ethical storytelling, reputation management, and digital influence in Nigeria’s communications landscape.

Organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos State Chapter, in partnership with Upticomm Marketing Company, the two-day summit, held at the Naval Dockyard Conference Centre, Victoria Island, brought together over 250 participants daily — including communication professionals, brand managers, digital strategists, and media executives.

Themed “Digital PR in Action: Owning Your Narrative, Telling Your Story,” the milestone summit featured masterclasses, panel sessions, and a star-studded awards gala that celebrated the country’s most creative storytellers, digital innovators, and brands leading the charge in responsible communication.

In his opening address, Convener of the Nigeria Digital PR Summit, Mr Segun McMedal, recounted the journey from a modest Lagos-focused event to a national movement shaping the future of communication.

“Ten years ago, this Summit started as a small experiment — a bold idea called the Lagos Digital PR Summit. Today, that idea has evolved into a national platform that empowers professionals and inspires ethical, data-driven, and human-centered communication,” McMedal said.

“This summit is not just a conference; it’s a call to action for brands to be more transparent, for communicators to be more intentional, and for all of us to use technology not just to speak louder, but to speak truthfully and with purpose.”

The event featured a keynote presentation by Prof. Obadare Adewale, Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode, who spoke on “Cybersecurity Meets Storytelling: Protecting National and Corporate Reputation in the Digital Space.”

Other notable speakers included Franklin Ozekhome, EVP at Chain Reactions Africa; Chioma Afe of Seplat Energy; Segun Ogunleye of Diageo Africa Partner Markets; Mabel Adeteye of Wema Bank; and Alero Ladipo of UBA Group. Their sessions explored emerging trends in sustainability, influencer engagement, and content-driven PR strategies.

The highlight of the summit was the Nigeria Digital PR Awards Gala, where outstanding individuals, brands, and agencies were honoured for excellence in digital storytelling and innovation.

Popular skit makers Broda Shaggi, Taaooma, and Layi Wasabi were among the big winners, taking home awards for creativity, humour, and digital impact. Corporate winners included GTBank for Most Creative Use of Short-Form Video in PR, MTN Nigeria for Best Use of Content Marketing, and Airtel Nigeria for Best Digital PR Campaign.

In the professional category, Isime Esene won the Emerging Public Affairs Digital Communication Leader Award, Omawumi Ogbe received the Digital Communication Game-Changer Award, while Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji bagged the Trailblazer Award for Digital Leadership and Social Impact.

The evening also featured the unveiling of the 4th edition of the Digital PR Digest, a flagship publication spotlighting thought leadership from leading professionals, as well as the Fashion Runway — a fusion of fashion, technology, and storytelling that capped the 10th-anniversary celebrations.

The summit also enjoyed the support of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, alongside major brands and communication agencies.

Expressing gratitude to partners and participants, McMedal reaffirmed the summit’s commitment to driving conversations on the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and reputation in the digital age.

“Stories shape perception. Perception builds trust. And trust sustains reputation. That is the legacy we’re building together,” he said.

By PRNigeria