The World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) 2026 has announced a further group of international leaders joining its expanding speaker programme, bringing perspectives from government, diplomacy, financial services, media governance and international institutions to the global gathering in Abuja.
Organised by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, WPRF 2026 will take place from 15–21 November 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria. The Forum will be hosted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, while the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, will deliver the Presidential Keynote Address.
The latest confirmed speakers are:
Leslie Richer
Director of Information and Communication
African Union
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
H.E. Amb. Abhishek Singh
High Commissioner of the Republic of India
Abuja, Nigeria
Mohammed Idris, fnipr
Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation of Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria
David Omwoyo Omwoyo, MBS
President, World Association of Press Officers and CEO, Media Council of Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya
Henry Rugamba
Chairman of the Boards of Equity Bank Uganda, Hariss International and British American Tobacco Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
They join an already distinguished international speaker line-up that includes Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications; Dr. (H.C.) Prita Kemal Gani, President of the ASEAN Public Relations Network; Samuel Heath, Director of Communications at INTERPOL; Mariya Gabriel, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO and former Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria; Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Chairman of the World Customs Organization Council; Rochelle Ford, CEO of Page Society; Helio Fred Garcia, President of Logos Consulting Group; Douglas Downs, Founder and President of Stories & Strategies Inc.; and Edith Jibunoh, Director of External Relations at the World Bank Group.
Welcoming the latest confirmations, Prof. Justin Green, President and CEO of the Global Alliance, highlighted the importance of bringing together leadership and expertise from across sectors and regions:
“The strength of the World Public Relations Forum lies in the diversity of voices and experiences it brings together. These latest confirmations further broaden the perspectives that will be represented in Abuja, from government and diplomacy to media, business and international institutions. At a time when trust, responsible communication and effective leadership are increasingly important, WPRF 2026 will provide a truly global platform for dialogue, collaboration and action.”
WPRF 2026 will convene public relations and communication professionals, institutional leaders, policymakers, business executives, academics and other stakeholders from around the world under the theme “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.” The Forum will examine the evolving role of communication in strengthening trust, reputation and relationships while responding to an increasingly complex global environment.
The 2026 edition will be hosted by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in collaboration with the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and will mark the first World Public Relations Forum to be held in West Africa.
Organised by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the World Public Relations Forum is the profession’s premier global gathering. Representing more than 360,000 professionals and academics across 126 countries, the Global Alliance provides an international platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange and the advancement of responsible public relations and communication practice.
For more information and to register for WPRF 2026, please visit the official WPRF 2026 website: https://www.wprf2026.niprng.org.ng/