Breaking into the marketing and communications industry often requires more than good grades, it demands creativity, strategy and practical experience.
At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), a public relations and advertising competition gave students the chance to test their creativity, pitch ideas like professionals and compete for cash prizes.
The fifth edition of PRADwave brought together aspiring communication professionals to develop and present campaign ideas for brands, giving them a taste of real industry practice.
Organised by the UNILAG PRAD Club in partnership with the Communication and Media Studies Students’ Association, the Mass Communication Students’ Association and marketing communications agency Plus Acuity Limited, the competition was held at the university’s Madhouse on Friday.
The event was themed “Gen Z and Marketing: Understanding Gen Z as Consumers and the Next Generation of Marketing Professionals.”
Three teams that reached the final shared a prize pool of N450,000 after presenting their campaign strategies.
According to the President of the UNILAG PRAD Club, Daniel Nnam, PRADwave was created to help students gain practical experience beyond what they learn in lectures.
“PRADwave 5.0 is a competition for students interested in public relations and advertising. It’s an opportunity for them to pitch campaign ideas for a brand, and the top three teams will win cash prizes,” he said.
Nnam revealed that 40 teams, made up of 120 students, registered for the competition, but only five teams made it to the final stage.
Each team consisted of a strategist, an art director and a copywriter, while industry professionals mentored participants and shared insights into today’s marketing and communications industry.
He said this year’s edition was expanded beyond the Department of Mass Communication, allowing students from across the university with an interest in public relations and advertising to participate.
Beyond the competition, students also received career advice from professionals already working in the industry.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Plus Acuity Limited, Victor Oyarero, announced that the company would provide free industry training and internship opportunities for UNILAG students studying public relations and advertising.
According to him, the initiative is designed to help students develop practical skills before graduation and reduce the gap between classroom learning and workplace expectations.
“We saw what PRAD was doing and felt it was an opportunity for us to engage and provide internship opportunities for some of the students at UNILAG so that we can reduce the gap between what they are learning in school and what is happening in the real world,” Oyarero said.
He described the programme as a pilot initiative that will begin at UNILAG before expanding to other tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Oyarero also encouraged students to embrace continuous learning, noting that success in the marketing and communications industry depends on staying adaptable and constantly improving one’s skills.
As employers increasingly seek graduates with hands-on experience, initiatives like PRADwave are giving students more than just a chance to win prize money—they are helping them build confidence, sharpen industry
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