Nigeria’s hospitality sector is being mobilised ahead of the World Public Relations Forum Abuja 2026, with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations holding a one-day preparation conference for senior executives from hotels and other hospitality businesses in the capital.
The session was designed to help industry participants strengthen service standards before Nigeria receives delegates from more than 126 countries for the forum, scheduled for November 15-22, 2026.
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NIPR President Dr Ike Neliaku told participants that the week-long gathering presents hotels and service providers with an opportunity to create a strong and enduring impression on international visitors.
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“Hosting a person for even one day can have a major effect, and this event will last a full week,” he said. “Once the Forum ends, relationships will have been built, and the experience visitors take away will shape the story they tell about Nigeria rather than the story we merely communicate verbally.”
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Dr Neliaku said many of the expected guests advise large companies and governments, giving them significant influence over how Nigeria is viewed internationally. He encouraged hospitality operators to make full use of the commercial and reputational opening created by the event.
Hospitality standards and Nigeria’s international image
Dr Suleiman Haruna, chairman of the WPRF National Planning Committee, said the forum gives Nigeria a chance to demonstrate its professional expertise, service culture, cultural diversity, organisational ability and attractiveness for investment.
He said the hotels chosen for the programme were in a position to prove that Abuja can meet the accommodation and service expectations associated with a large international conference.
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Haruna said delegates begin forming opinions before the opening ceremony and continue doing so after daily sessions conclude.
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Accommodation quality, welcome procedures, food services, housekeeping, internet connectivity, transport arrangements and interactions with employees will all affect how visitors judge the gathering, he said.
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A single service failure can outweigh the success of numerous conference discussions, while a high-quality experience can leave a durable favourable impression.
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He added that everyone from hotel general managers and front-desk staff to concierges, security personnel, cleaners, restaurant workers and drivers will contribute to the image delegates form of Nigeria.
Stanley Ogadigo, chairman of the NIPR Federal Capital Territory Chapter, which is hosting the event, said the WPRF is an important opportunity for Nigeria to reshape its narrative. He stressed that the hospitality industry will be central to the experience of the more than 3,000 delegates anticipated at the forum.
Oge Neliaku, chief executive of Right Angle PR, called on partner hotels to assign their strongest staff and deploy the necessary facilities and equipment. She urged them to ensure that Nigeria’s well-known tradition of hospitality is visible throughout the international gathering.
Held under the theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World,” the World Public Relations Forum will be hosted at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be the chief host, while Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema is due to deliver the keynote address.
