Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged communication professionals to deploy truth-based public relations as a strategic tool to counter the false narrative of a so-called genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
At the unveiling of the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF Abuja 2026) in Abuja, yesterday, the minister warned that Nigeria faces existential reputational threats from foreign actors who seek to distort facts and weaken national unity.
The theme of the WPRF Abuja 2026 is “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World”
“We must come to terms with existential reputational threats to our national brand, in which external purveyors of untruth are mischaracterising our nation as a destination for a so-called persecution of people based on their religious faiths. This is propaganda externally woven by those who want to weaken our unity. For the umpteenth time, I am emphatic that there’s no iota of truth in the claim of a ‘Christian Genocide’ in Nigeria,” he said
The minister emphasised that such disinformation campaigns are designed to sow division and must be met with a coordinated communication response anchored on facts, integrity, and professional ethics.
“I therefore urge us to use the instruments of public relations, crafted in truths and facts, to vehemently reject these despicable single narratives about Nigeria,” he said.
Idris stressed that responsible communication is now a national duty in the digital era, where the speed of information has surpassed the speed of reflection.
He observed that “words now travel faster than thought, and opinions often outrun truth,” underscoring the need for communicators to be guided by truth, empathy, and service to the public good.
He linked this moral imperative to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that: “The Renewed Hope vision seeks to rebuild trust between government and the people—trust anchored on openness, engagement, and shared purpose. Communication is the lifeblood of that trust.”
As host of the forthcoming World Public Relations Forum 2026, Nigeria, he said, is taking its rightful place as a leader in global communication ethics.
“Today’s gathering is a bold statement—that under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Nigeria is stepping forward as the Biggest, Brightest, and Boldest voice for ethical and responsible communication in Africa and beyond,” he said.
The minister commended the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (GA), led by Professor Justin Green, and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), under Dr Ike Neliaku, for bringing global attention to Nigeria through the WPRF hosting rights. He recalled President Tinubu’s assurance to the international community that “You have no better friend and partner than Nigeria.”
In a stirring call to action, the minister charged all communicators, journalists, and public officers to rise to the challenge of responsible communication.
“Let this unveiling today be a call to conscience. To practitioners: hold the line of truth. To the media: inform with integrity. To public officers: communicate with transparency. To citizens: speak with empathy,” he stated.
