CITIZENS COMPASS—IHS Nigeria has been recognised in the Best Culture Moment Campaign category at the recently held Third Nigeria Digital PR Awards, announced during the 11th Nigeria Digital PR Summit and its associated awards ceremony. The recognition highlights the company’s contribution to advancing digital innovation, preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage and strengthening public engagement through strategic communication as exemplified in the impact of the company’s partnership with the National commission for museums and monuments.
The two-day summit, held from Thursday, 15 October to Friday, 16 October 2026, brought together communication professionals, industry leaders and other stakeholders to explore the evolving digital landscape, the changing dynamics of influence and the role of strategic communication in shaping public perception.
Speaking during a panel session titled Influence Conversations, Director of Corporate Communications, IHS Nigeria, Sylva Ifedigbo, highlighted the importance of proactive stakeholder engagement in building trust and protecting corporate reputation. He emphasised that organisations must establish meaningful relationships with stakeholders long before a reputational challenge arises.
“To earn trust before a reputation challenge or crisis, you need to show up long before something has gone wrong. Trust is built in ordinary moments,” Sylva said.
Drawing from the telecommunications infrastructure sector, Sylva explained that the infrastructure supporting everyday digital communication is often invisible to the public, despite its essential role in keeping people connected. He referenced IHS Nigeria’s positioning to illustrate the importance of helping stakeholders understand the value of telecommunications infrastructure in their daily lives.
“For every call, for example, every text message, in fact, my ability to speak to you in Lagos from where my location is right now, is by the power of telecom infrastructure. And that’s why you see IHS Nigeria talk about being the backbone of digital possibilities,” he said.
He further stressed that communicating the value of infrastructure helps stakeholders appreciate and support the services it enables.
“People only protect what they understand,” Ifedigbo said.
He also highlighted the importance of internal communication, identifying employees as credible voices who play a critical role in shaping corporate reputation. He urged organisations to give their internal audiences greater consideration rather than focusing disproportionately on external communication and media engagement.
“I will always, always, always vote for the power of the internal audience. I will say, I will listen to the employees first,” he said.
IHS Nigeria’s recognition at the awards followed its entry in the Best Culture Moment Campaign category, which highlighted its work with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) on the launch of the National Digital Museum and the commissioning of the renovated and refurbished National Museum in Lagos. The initiatives demonstrate how digital innovation and strategic partnerships can help make Nigeria’s cultural heritage more accessible while strengthening public connection with the nation’s history.
In his opening remarks at the awards night, Convener, Nigeria Digital Public Relations Summit, Segun McMedal reflected on the evolution of the Summit, which began in 2016 as New Media PR Network Communities before developing into the Nigeria Digital Public Relations Summit. He highlighted the platform’s role in helping communication professionals navigate the evolving digital ecosystem and encouraging responsible and ethical use of digital platforms.
Segun also acknowledged the contributions of the summit’s sponsors, including IHS Nigeria, recognising the importance of their support in sustaining the platform and advancing its objectives.
Also speaking at the awards ceremony, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Nigeria Digital Public Relations Summit and Lead Partner at CMC Connect LLP, Chief Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, reflected on the summit’s progress and the importance of recognising organisations whose contributions have supported its growth. He acknowledged the sponsors and other stakeholders whose efforts contributed to the success of the summit and its related activities. In recognising the sponsors individually, he also commended IHS Nigeria for its contributions to society and its support for the summit.
IHS Nigeria’s participation in the summit and recognition at the awards reinforces its commitment to digital innovation, stakeholder engagement and responsible corporate communication. Through initiatives that connect technology with cultural preservation and public value, the company continues to demonstrate how strategic partnerships and purposeful communication can contribute to Nigeria’s digital and social development.
