A 400-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, Daniel Nnam, has emerged winner of the 2025 NECCI Public Relations Essay Competition, taking home a cash prize of ₦250,000.
Nnam beat 24 other contestants from five tertiary institutions across Nigeria to clinch the top spot. The announcement was made during the 25th NECCI Public Relations Roundtable held on October 23, 2025, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Baba-Enoch Temitope of Covenant University and Tomiwa Oyegunle of Olabisi Onabanjo University came second and third, winning ₦150,000 and ₦100,000 respectively.
This year’s roundtable, themed “The Ethics of Governance: Shaping Reputation through Public Relations,” brought together policymakers, communication experts, and corporate leaders to explore how ethics can rebuild public trust in governance.
Founder and convener of the NECCI Roundtable, Dr. Nkechi Ali-Balogun, said the essay competition was designed to discover and nurture young talents in the public relations industry.
“With your support, we hope this prize grows into a prestigious annual award that celebrates excellence in public relations,” she said, adding that NECCI remains committed to promoting ethical communication and professional growth through partnerships with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and other corporate bodies.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. John Momoh, Chairman of Channels Media Group, stressed that Nigeria’s biggest problem is not the lack of information but a “deficit of credibility.”
“Trust is the currency of leadership. People no longer take official statements at face value,” he said. “When leaders lose credibility, no amount of publicity can fix that loss of trust.”
Also speaking, Godfrey Ogbechie, Group Executive Director of Rainoil Limited, noted that integrity remains the strongest foundation for effective crisis management.
“Integrity is the best crisis management tool,” he said. “When we choose honesty over convenience and openness over silence, trust grows — even in difficult times.”
The event ended on a hopeful note, with speakers urging young communicators like Nnam to use their voices and values to promote truth and ethical leadership.
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