A strong contingent of African public relations professionals has assumed positions on the Board of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, marking a strategic milestone ahead of Nigeria's hosting of the World Public Relations Forum in November 2026.
The elections, conducted Thursday, 15th May at the Global Alliance's 23rd Annual General Meeting in Venice, Italy, saw six Africans secure seats on the new Board of Directors of governing body which was inaugurated on July 1, 2025.
Dr. Ike Neliaku, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), was elected as Regional Delegate-at-Large alongside Kenya's Noella Mutanda of the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) and South Africa's Prof. Dailen Rene Benecke of the Public Relations Association of Southern Africa (PRISA).
The African presence on the Board extends beyond regional delegates as Peter Mutie-Peterson of Kenya's Integrated Communication Institute and Irene Lungu of the Zambia Institute of Public Relations and Communication (ZIPRC) secured positions as Delegates-at-Large Representing Any Membership Categories. Nigeria's Dr. Wole Adamolekun of Elizade University got the Delegate-at-Large seat representing Academic/Research.
The elections drew leading professionals, academics, and industry leaders from across continents, reflecting the Global Alliance's commitment to diversity and multicultural representation.
Neliaku’s election represents the continuation of his sustained diplomatic efforts since assuming leadership of Nigeria's public relations body in 2023. His continental outreach strategy proved instrumental in securing overwhelming African support for Nigeria's successful WPRF hosting bid. Industry observers believe the strengthened African representation on the Global Alliance board will enhance collaboration and ensure robust continental participation when Abuja welcomes the global public relations community in November 2026.