The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on communication professionals across the country to uphold truth-based public relations as a strategic tool in combating disinformation campaigns portraying Nigeria as a hostile environment for Christians.

 

Speaking at the National Unveiling of the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF Abuja 2026) held in Abuja on Monday, Idris warned that Nigeria faces “existential reputational threats” from foreign actors who deliberately distort facts to sow division and undermine national unity.

 

“We must come to terms with existential reputational threats to our national brand, in which external purveyors of untruth are mischaracterizing our nation as a destination for a so-called persecution of people based on their religious faiths,” the Minister said.

 

“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.”

 

Idris emphasized that Nigeria must respond with a coordinated communication strategy rooted in facts, professional ethics, and national interest. He urged communication experts to actively reject disinformation and promote narratives that reflect the nation’s diversity, resilience, and unity.

 

“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.”

 

In a digital age where information spreads rapidly, the Minister cautioned that the speed of communication must not outpace critical thinking.

 

“Words now travel faster than thought, and opinions often outrun truth,” he observed, urging media practitioners to anchor their work in truth, empathy, and service to the public good.

 

Linking the campaign for responsible communication to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Idris said rebuilding trust between the government and citizens depends on transparent, ethical, and inclusive communication.

 

“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 Nigeria prepares to host the World Public Relations Forum in 2026, Idris said the country is asserting itself as a continental and global leader in 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.”

 

The Minister also 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 securing the WPRF hosting rights for Nigeria.

 

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to global partnerships, Idris recalled President Tinubu’s message to the international community:

 

“You have no better friend and partner than Nigeria.”

 

In a stirring conclusion, the Minister issued a nationwide call to action for ethical 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.”

 

Expressing confidence in the significance of the 2026 Forum, Idris declared:

 

“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria is reshaping its global image. Let this Forum be remembered as the moment when Africa’s largest democracy led the world in defining what it means to communicate with conscience.”