Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), organisers of the National Spokespersons Awards (NSAwards), has unveiled the jury panel and 15 competitive categories for the 2026 edition of the annual event.
IMPR, publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential, and Spokespersons Digest, continues to position the NSAwards as Nigeria’s leading platform for recognising excellence in strategic communication and spokespersonship. Over the years, the awards have set a high standard for professionalism, integrity, and innovation across the industry.
The initiative, which partnered with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for its fourth and fifth editions, has also received endorsements from key professional bodies, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), the African Public Relations Association (APRA), and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).
Speaking on the upcoming edition, IMPR Chairman and Associate Professor of Strategic Communication, Dr. Sule Yau Sule, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to celebrating excellence across corporate, public sector, and digital communication spaces.
“The NSAwards have become a symbol of excellence for communication professionals who demonstrate mastery, credibility, and measurable impact,” he said. “This year, we look forward to recognising even more outstanding spokespersons, communication leaders, and organisations.”
Entries for the 2026 awards are open to a broad range of professionals, including corporate spokespersons, government information officers, public relations and communication agencies, media practitioners, public affairs experts, scholars, authors, and researchers.
The 15 award categories are split into two segments: 10 Professional Excellence Awards and 5 Individual Distinction Awards.
The Professional Excellence categories include Knowledge Hub, Corporate Communications, Employee Relations, Public Affairs, Community Relations/CSR, Media Relations, Publication, Crisis Management, Digital Communication, and Communication Agency of the Year.
Meanwhile, the Individual Distinction Awards cover Social Media Influencer of the Year, Young Communicator of the Year, Crisis Communicator of the Year, Author/Scholar of the Year, and the flagship Spokesperson of the Year.
A seven-member jury panel will oversee the adjudication process. The panel is chaired by Prof. Saudat AbdulBaqi, with Mr. Abdulrahman Abdulraheem serving as Secretary. Other members include Dr. Kabir Lawanti, Dr. Prencewell Achor, Mr. Ishola Ayodele, Mr. Sunday Odita, and Ms. Rahma Oladosu.
In addition, Mr. Segun McMedal and Kabir Abdulsalam will continue in their roles as Chairman and Secretary of the Awards Committee.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract leading professionals, agencies, and institutions dedicated to advancing strategic communication in Nigeria.
Prospective applicants are required to submit evidence-based entries that demonstrate measurable impact, innovation, and alignment with global communication standards via the official NSAwards website.