The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday, urged public relations practitioners to communicate government reforms and policies clearly to build public trust.
Shettima gave the charge in Kaduna during the third Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Week 2026 hosted by Governor Uba Sani.
The Vice President said policies and reforms of the Bola Tinubu administration would only succeed if citizens understand their benefits. According to him, public relations plays a critical role in governance, especially in explaining policies and addressing public concerns.
“As a government, we regard public relations as a strategic function of governance. It is integral to building trust, managing uncertainty, and sustaining reform. We must communicate not only what we are doing, but why we are doing it, how it serves the public good, and what place the citizen occupies in the success of that effort.” he said.
He added that policies must be properly explained in simple terms for citizens to understand their relevance and impact.
Speaking on food security, Shettima said the Tinubu administration has placed feeding the nation at the centre of its economic agenda. He further listed measures taken to address food insecurity, including mechanisation, agricultural funding, dry-season farming and input subsidies.
The Vice President said the success of the policies would be measured by their impact on farmers, markets and households. He also urged the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations to uphold professionalism and ethical standards.
In his remarks, the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, described the Vice President as a strong supporter of the administration and said the state would continue to invest in agriculture.
On his part, President of African Public Relations Association (APRA), Arik Kirani, urged Nigerians to always tell their stories confidently because the country has greatly improved in all facets.
Kirani praised Nigeria’s new visa processing process, which he said has greatly improved, adding that the airport procedures for foreign visitors are also seamless.
The keynote speaker, Dr Brahim Chisunge from South Africa, commended Nigeria’s progress in food security, maintaining that it is a matter of national security and economic stability.
Chisunge noted that while Nigeria has a lot of agricultural potential that must be harnessed, policy implementation gaps must be addressed to achieve food security.
In his welcome address, NIPR President, Dr Ike Neliaku, said the NIPR Week was part of the Institute’s intervention to contribute to good governance, noting that the idea is to partner with the government to build Nigeria.
Neliaku revealed that Nigeria will be hosting the global summit on public relations in November this year, where 160 nations will converge, expressing optimism that Nigeria will continue to rise.
Highlight of the event was the inauguration of a newly built banquet hall at the Kaduna Government House, by the Vice President, who also described the achievement as a step towards strengthening governance and infrastructure in the state.
He further commended Sani, saying. “And so we must applaud His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani, for matching words with works, for giving visible expression to his convictions, and for proving through steady action that leadership is validated by delivery.”
Also, the state governor said the construction of the world class edifice was a deliberate effort towards strengthening institutions and governance in the state, stressing that the building would be used for high level diplomatic interactions that will further showcase the state to the world.
