The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has formally inducted 73 public relations officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in a milestone development officials say reflects the Service's growing commitment to professionalising its communication function and eliminating quackery in information management.

The induction ceremony, held at the NIS National Headquarters in Abuja, followed the successful completion of a certification and training programme organised jointly by the Immigration Service and NIPR. Officials describe the exercise as the NIS's first mass professional induction of communication staff into the institute, positioning it as a significant step in aligning the Service's public relations practice with recognised industry standards.

In her keynote address, delivered on her behalf by Deputy Comptroller General Franca Nwanneka, Immigration Comptroller General Kemi Nandap stressed that public relations can no longer be viewed merely as the dissemination of information, but should be understood as a strategic function that builds public trust, protects institutional reputation, and strengthens confidence among stakeholders. She emphasised the importance of the NIS being professionally respected and globally recognised, particularly given the Service's unique role at Nigeria's points of entry.

That point was reinforced by former Adamawa State Commissioner for Information, Hamad Sajo, who delivered a brief lecture to the newly inducted officers. He noted that NIS communication personnel carry a distinctive responsibility compared to public relations officers in other institutions, since they are often the first Nigerian officials that visitors to the country encounter. Sajo urged the officers to combine professionalism and excellence with a strong sense of patriotism, arguing that trust is the foundation upon which both institutional progress and national reputation are built. He further stressed that effective public relations functions as a leadership and decision-making responsibility, not merely an administrative one.

NIS Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, also addressed the newly inducted officers, assuring them that the knowledge and skills gained through the certification programme would directly strengthen the Service's communication capacity going forward.

The induction fits into a broader, sustained campaign by NIPR to root out unqualified and unregistered practitioners across Nigeria's public relations landscape โ€” an effort that has intensified in recent years under the institute's leadership. NIPR President Dr Ike Neliaku has repeatedly warned that individuals practising public relations without proper registration would no longer be tolerated in either the public or private sector, and the institute has previously moved to formalise enforcement mechanisms, including a structured compliance and awareness campaign ahead of stricter crackdowns on unregistered practitioners. NIPR has also pursued similar collaborative efforts with other professional bodies, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists, aimed at jointly addressing quackery across Nigeria's media and communications industries.

For the Nigeria Immigration Service, officials say the newly certified officers are expected to bring a stronger, more strategic approach to public communication โ€” one aligned not only with institutional reputation management, but with the broader task of shaping how Nigeria is perceived by visitors and the international community at its borders. With the induction now complete, both NIPR and NIS leadership say the partnership signals a deeper, longer-term commitment to embedding professional standards across public relations practice within Nigeria's security and immigration institutions.